Model scale tunnel tests with water spray

A model scale study (1:23) was carried out in order to improve the basic understanding of water spray systems ill longitudinal tunnel flow. The water spray system consisted of commercially available axial-flow hollow cone nozzles. Tests with both a deluge system made of 12 nozzles placed directly above the fire source and a water curtain system consisting of four nozzles placed either downstream or upstream of the fire source were carried out. A wood crib was used to stimulate the fire source, which was designed to correspond to a HGV (heavy goods vehicle) fire load in large scale. A second wood crib was used as a target pile and was placed downstream the ignited wood crib. The parameters varied were the water flow rate and water pressure, the longitudinal ventilation rate and the arrangement of the nozzle system. Possible fire spread between wood cribs, with a free distance corresponding to 15 m in large scale, was investigated. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.