A Computational Study on Structural Barrier to Vertical Spread of Window Spill Plume along Building Exterior Facade

Abstract The barrier effect of window, windowsill wall and balcony is significant on vertical spread of window spill plume along building exterior facade. Fire Simulation experiments are conducted in a full scale model, consisting one 4m x 4m x 4m fire compartment with five windows, five windowsill walls and five balconies like geometries in order to observe vertical spread of window spill plume along building exterior facade under different dimensions of windows, windowsill walls and balconies, and then the correlation between smoke temperature near the exterior facade and dimensions of window, windowsill wall and balcony is obtained by numerical fitting and dimensional analyses. Finally concluded:(l) window, windowsill wall and balcony play different degrees of barrier effect on vertical spread of window spill plume along building exterior facade, balcony playing dominant barrier effect; (2) When the elongation of the balcony is not less than 1.2m, the critical hazardous temperature (70 ‘C) does not spread to the exterior facade of fire room upper; (3) When the width of the window is less than 2.4m, the critical hazardous temperature does not spread to the exterior facade of fire room upper. These quantitative conclusions provide fire Prevention of the building exterior facade with a reference.