Computational Engineering – MATLAB

Part A. Computation of the heat release rate and flashover time

Using MATLAB/ Octave or other programming language, write a script to do the following: A1. For the four types of fire defined in Table 3, compute the HRR [in kW] required for the compartment to come to flashover and the time [in seconds] needed for that to happen (consider that flashover occurs for a temperature increase ∆T = 600 oC). Dr Tiago Ferreira & Dr Eyo Eyo 9 University of the West of England

A2. Produce a graph with the increase of the temperature in the compartment over the time, for the four types of fire. The graph should include four time versus temperature curves, which must be plotted from ti=0 to tf =Flashpoint, by using a vector of 400 linearly spaced values. Note that for the time period between the onset of the fire, ti = 0, and the end of the incubation period, t0, the value of temperature increase (∆T) must be set equal to zero.

Details about the elements to be included in the graph and an illustrative example of the graph that you are asked to generate are provided in Appendix I.

Save your script as flashPAXXXXXXXX.m, where XXXXXXXX must be replaced by your stu- dent number, and submit it together with your report.

Part B. Evaluation of the impact of changing the enclosure material
Now that you have computed the heat release rate and the time necessary for the compartment to reach flashover, for the four types of fire (slow, medium, fast and ultra-fast), the objective of Part B is to evaluate the impact of replacing the original enclosure material (the gypsum plasterboard panelling) by a new one with a different thermal conductivity value. For such, find in Appendix II a table with thermal conductivity values of different building materials.
You should now extend the piece of script you have produced in Part A so that it can complete the following tasks:

B1. Input the thermal conductivity value of the new material into your script. Then, compute the new HRR and time necessary for the compartment to reach flashover for the four types of fire.

B2. Finally, write the code necessary to produce a graph where the eight final time versus temperature curves, the four obtained in Part A for the original material, and the four obtained for the new material, are plotted together. All curves must be plotted from ti= 0 to tf = Flashpoint, by using a vector of 400 linearly spaced values. Also in this case, make sure that the values of temperature increase for the time period between the onset of the fire, ti = 0, and the end of the incubation period, t0, are set equal to
zero.
Further details about this graph and an illustrative example of the graph that you are asked to generate are provided in Appendix I.
Save your script as flash PBXXXXXXXX.m, where XXXXXXXX must be replaced by your stu- dent number, and submit it together with your report.