Fire Dynamics and Modelling

About the course

What will I learn?
The course will follow a structured approach starting from the general fundamental principles of combustion flammability and heat transfer, and will lead you through to the more specific study of fire spread and fire development in compartments. Open fires such as pool and jet fires will also be covered. The principles of fire protection practice and technology will be discussed within the context of understanding the fire development mechanism and the response of structures to fires. Your learning experience will be enhanced through worked examples and brief problems that you’ll be asked to attempt on your own or in groups. There will also be an opportunity for some hands-on experience with predictive PC packages.

How will I benefit?
On completion of this course, you should:

  • be able to apply general combustion and engineering principles to fires

  • know the parameters that influence flame spread and steady burning and be able to quantify the burning rate in compartment fires

  • predict the rate of development of the fire, the onset of flashover, and appreciate the application of these concepts to fire protection design

  • understand the factors influencing smoke toxicity and movement

  • be aware of the predictive tools that are available and become familiar with the application and use of such tools, through ‘hands-on’ practice

Who should attend?

This course is for you if you wish or need to gain a comprehensive, scientifically-based analysis and engineering quantification tools, of fire development and consequence assessment in industrial and residential scenarios.

Perhaps you’re involved in the design and operation of buildings and chemical plants (architect, civil engineer, chemical engineer) or in the design of protection systems (passive and active system developer, manufacturer, installer).

Maybe you’re responsible for building and plant safety on a day-to-day basis, a regulator or adviser (Health and Safety Executive, Fire Service, Home Office, local authority, building control office, consultant, insurer) or firefighting professional.

This course would also be very useful if you’re a new researcher in the field. 

Programme

Day one: Fundamental processes

Registration: 8.30 – 9.00am

  • Physical concepts

  • Fuel and combustion processes and fundamentals

  • Limits of flammability

  • Heat transfer: conduction and convection

Day two: Radiation, ignition and flame spread

  • Radiation from fires

  • Ignition - general, gaseous/liquid fuels and solids

  • Spread of flame

  • Fire combustion products and toxicity as a function of ventilation conditions

Day three: Pool fires, jet fires and cloud fires

  • Steady burning diffusion fires

  • Pool fires in the open

  • Gaseous jet flames

  • Radiation from flames

  • Example calculations: radiation flux from flare on escape route

  • Large scale fire tests – pool and jet fires

  • Pool and jet fires in compartments

  • Cloud fires

Day four: Compartment fires

  • The growth period

  • Flashover

  • The post-flashover period and backdraughts

  • Fire performance of structures

  • Smoke movement

Day five: Compartment fire modelling

  • Using CFD models

  • Fire behaviour and modern buildings

  • A zone model in detail – CFAST

  • Hands-on experience with a zone model – taking place at the University of Leeds, return coach transport will be arranged

Course finish time:  4.35pm

Speakers

Course Director
Dr Roth Phylaktou, University of Leeds

Speakers
Professor Gordon Andrews, University of Leeds
Dr Florian Block, BuroHappold Engineering
Professor Derek Bradley, University of Leeds
Professor Geoff Chamberlain, Waverton Consultancy Ltd, previously Shell Global Solutions UK 
Rob Crewe, DNV GL
Ben McColl, OFR Consultants
Jeremy Ockenden, Affinity Fire Engineering
Peter Rew, Atkins 

Fee information

Course fees:

Full five days:TBC

Any one day: TBC

Fees are VAT exempt

Fees include: 

  • cost of tuition

  • course materials

  • lunches

  • light refreshments

  • course dinner

Accommodation is not included in the course fee.

View our terms and conditions

Venue details

The course will take place at Weetwood Hall Estate, which is situated to the north of Leeds at the junction of the A660 Leeds - Skipton road and the A6120 Outer Ring Road.​​

Weetwood Hall Estate
Otley Road
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS16 5PS
UK

Accommodation

The course will take place at Weetwood Hall Estate, which is situated to the north of Leeds at the junction of the A660 Leeds - Skipton road and the A6120 Outer Ring Road.

If you require accommodation, and wish to stay at the course venue Weetwood Hall Estate please contact Emma Barker or Stevie Standerline E: reservations@weetwood.co.uk / T: 0113 230 6000 quoting ‘CPD’ and the ‘Fire Dynamics’ course.

Bedrooms are subject to availability and the following rates (including VAT) apply with a ‘48 hours prior to arrival with no cancellation fee’ policy: Friday – Sunday, bed and breakfast £TBC, Monday – Thursday, bed and breakfast £TBC per night, for sole occupancy in a superior double room. Please book your accommodation as soon as possible to avoid disappointment with availability. A list of alternative hotels is available on request. Delegates are responsible for their own evening meals.

What our delegates say

“A course well worth attending for anyone interested in Fire Dynamics, regardless of vocational sector of employment.”
Jason Seward, Affinity Fire Engineering

“Really enjoyed this course and gained a more consolidated understanding of fire dynamics and developed good discussions in the classroom with other fire engineering professionals.”
Warren Brown, Tenos

“The content covered a broad and interesting array of topics. Given the complexity of this subject, the empirical formulae presented will no doubt be of profound help. As someone not that well practiced in this subject, it was great to gain a full appreciation of the subject's scope.”
Gareth Davies, Atkins

Contact us

Helen Forsyth – Course Coordinator

CPD Conference and Events Unit
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences 
University of Leeds,
Leeds
LS2 9JT

T: +44 (0)113 343 8104

E: cpd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk

Stay up to date with the latest course news and developments by following the CPD, Conference and Events unit on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Accreditation

The Fire Dynamics and Modelling CPD course, Leeds, has been approved for 32 CPD hours in total by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and is an IFE recognised training course.
 

IFE validation logo for 32 hours CPD
IFE Recognised Training Course