New model predicts fire spread
The computer models can show fire fighters exactly what is happening with smoke, flames and the direction of air flow. Image: Pleasureofart/iStockphoto Through advanced computer modelling of house fires, mechanical engineers at UNSW are giving fire fighters a new suite of tools to investigate and battle dangerous blazes in time for the traditionally high-risk winter months.Beginning with an ignition point, the models can map how fires behave as they grow, accurately predicting their overall temperature and pinpointing dangerous hotspots that responding personnel should avoid. “When you’re sending a fire fighter into a dangerous situation you want to have an idea of the temperatures they’re going to face,” says Debbie Mackay, who recently completed her PhD at UNSW, and was involved in the research project with Fire and Rescue NSW.The models also detail how fires can respond to sudden bursts of oxygen resulting from a smashed window or an opened door, offering additional...