Computer Modelling

[Tall Paul]

I'm hoping that you can help me with this.  I am looking for some useful zone and computational fluid dynamics modelling software that is effective but does not cost the earth.

My organisation is very small and is not swimming with money, so I don't want to be throwing cash into an endless pit looking for the right package.

I am particularly interested in smoke temperature and movement based on design fire sizes in an assortment of buildings and would welcome comments from any experiences with software that you might have.

Thank you,
Paul

[John Webb]

Try having a word with Richard Chitty at BRE Ltd. (01923) 664000. He's a former colleague of mine and has been involved in computer modelling of fires for many years. There were various programs developed at the Fire Research Station by various people, most of whom have retired or moved to other companies; Richard should be able to say what's still available.

[CivvyFSO]

NIST produce CFAST (zone) and FDS (CFD).

Both validated, and both are free. They both use Smokeview to show the results, and can output the numbers to create spreadsheets/graphs etc.

FDS is not particularly user friendly, as you need to learn the programming language for defining objects and fires/vents etc. There is a software packed for FDS that simplifies it, and this allows more of a graphical creation via CAD drawings etc. I will try find the name of that software.

[Karissa]

NIST produce CFAST (zone) and FDS (CFD).

Both validated, and both are free. They both use Smokeview to show the results, and can output the numbers to create spreadsheets/graphs etc.

FDS is not particularly user friendly, as you need to learn the programming language for defining objects and fires/vents etc. There is a software packed for FDS that simplifies it, and this allows more of a graphical creation via CAD drawings etc. I will try find the name of that software.

PyroSim 

[CivvyFSO]

Tahanks Karissa.

Found something else interesting:

http://www.blenderfds.org/

Open source, free.

(Those good old Linux people)

Might have to have a go with that myself.

[Tall Paul]

Thank you CivvyFSO, I'll have a look at those over the weekend and see how I get on.