Simulation of fire outbreaks in polyurethane footwear warehouses using inorganic fire retardants

Abstract

Introduction: currently, a significant increase has been observed in the number of fires that especially affect commercial footwear stores, without effective preventive measures being adopted to reduce possible losses. A simulation of a polyurethane footwear warehouse was carried out using the Consolidated Model of Fire and Smoke Transport (CFAST) software and the SmokView smoke viewer. To have a point of comparison, the fire scenario was first modeled without implementing any prevention or control measures. Then, a second fire scenario was simulated by designing a water sprinkler system in the enclosure room with the highest thermal load following the UNE 12845 standard and the NFPA 13 standard. Afterwards, to check the effectiveness of the smoke removal and the temperature of the fire in the premises, an inorganic fire retardant based on Mg (OH)2 was used in the feed water of the Sprinklers system, modifying the Heat Growth Curve (CCC) by 18%. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effectiveness of different fire mitigation strategies in a footwear warehouse through simulations with CFAST software, identifying innovative technologies to reduce firepower release (HRR) and optimize fire activation times. suppression systems. Methodology: The fire simulation was carried out using the CFAST software, considering the environmental conditions of the city of Ambato and the thermodynamic properties of the materials in the footwear warehouse. A water Sprinkler system was designed according to NFPA 13 and UNE 12845 regulations. In addition, the effect of the inorganic fire retardant based on Mg (OH)2 on the Sprinkler system was evaluated. Results: the results indicate a smoke saturation time of 1510sec and an enclosure temperature of 34°C at 34sec without a fire protection system. In the simulation of a water-based firefighting system, the following were determined: a) the smoke saturation time in all rooms at 67 seconds, b) the time necessary to cool the room was 1500 seconds. to reach 34°C. Finally, the fire simulation using the fire retardant reduced the cooling time of the room by 22.56% until it reached a cold temperature of 35 °C. The simulation was carried out for the city of Ambato, at an altitude of 2560 m, with a temperature of 16 °C, a pressure of 97172.02 for a relative humidity of 65% and a limit amount of oxygen of 15%. Conclusions: The implementation of fire mitigation strategies, such as the use of water sprinkler systems and the use of inorganic fire retardants, can significantly reduce response times in the event of a fire and minimize the risk of material and human losses in commercial establishments. footwear. It is crucial to consider the technical effectiveness and economic viability of these measures to promote their adoption into local regulations and improve fire safety throughout the commercial sector.