THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014
Archive for reference only
THIS PAGE IS OUT OF DATE

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Engineering : Civil

Undergraduate Course: Fire Dynamics Laboratory 5 (CIVE11023)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Engineering CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) Credits10
Home subject areaCivil Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course consists of a series of laboratory sessions that will introduce the student to a variety of different experimental techniques of relevance to fire safety engineering. Each session will be introduced with a guide to relevant theory with the aim of providing the students with the fundamental knowledge to support understanding and interpretation of the experiments, as well as a safety briefing and guide to risk assessment. The use of standard tests and the application of the results to design will be emphasized.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Fire Science and Fire Dynamics 4 (CIVE10011)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs Full PPE is needed (all Civil Engineering undergraduates have this).
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) Learn enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 13/01/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 44, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 54 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 100 %
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. demonstrate understanding of ignition (solid and liquid/gaseous)
2. demonstrate understanding of burning rate and flame spread
3. demonstrate understanding of oxygen consumption calorimetry
4. demonstrate understanding of fire dynamics, including fire plumes
Assessment Information
The assessment will be based on coursework submissions (100%).
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus 1. Solid fuel ignition (4 hours)
This is the first of two laboratory demonstrations conducted to illustrate the different processes leading to ignition of combustible materials and is intended to provide insight on the ignition phenomenon.
- Application of ignition theory
- Piloted, auto and spontaneous ignition

2. Liquid fuel ignition (2 hours)
This is the second ignition laboratory demonstration conducted to illustrate the use of ignition to establish flammability criteria.
- Flash point/fire point
- Physical processes and Standard tests

3. Reaction-to-fire behaviour of solids (2 hours)
In this laboratory, the cone calorimeter apparatus is used to examine the ¿reaction-to-fire¿ behaviour of solid fuels under different heat exposures, with specific attention to:
- Ignition time
- Subsequent energy release rate
From the measurements, the following parameters will be determined:
- Ignition temperature
- Thermal inertia

4. Flame spread (2 hours)
The physical mechanisms controlling flame spread will be described on the basis of a lateral flame spread test. The demonstration will emphasize the following aspects:
- Materials properties: influence of a material thermal and chemical properties on the rate of spread
- Orientation: upward, downward, horizontal, lateral.
- External heat flux
- Fuel thickness: thick:thin materials.

5. Fire plumes and calorimetry (6 hours)
The evolution of the burning rate and fire dynamics of fire plumes as a function of different parameters will be established, using open pool fires. Empirical and analytical formulations will be validated for various fire sizes with respect to characteristic parameters, i.e.:
- Centreline temperatures
- Entrainment rate
The effects of confining the fire within a compartment will also be examined and interpreted in relation to simple fire models.

Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Drysdale, D. An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2011 (or earlier editions)

SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 4th ed., DiNenno, P.J. ed., NFPA, Quincy, MA, 2009 (or earlier editions)
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Rory Hadden
Tel: (0131 6)50 5944
Email: R.Hadden@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Craig Hovell
Tel: (0131 6)51 7080
Email: c.hovell@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information
 
© Copyright 2013 The University of Edinburgh - 13 January 2014 3:43 am