COMPARISON OF THE ALGORITHMS PISO AND SIMPLER FOR SOLVING PRESSURE-VELOCITY LINKED EQUATIONS IN SIMULATING COMPARTMENTAL FIRE

This article reports a comparison of three algorithms SIMPLER, PISO, a nd iterative PISO, for solving pressure-velocity linked equations in s imulating fire using the field modeling technique. The set of equation s describing transient three-dimensional turbulent fluid flow induced by a fire was solved. The standard k-epsilon turbulent model is employ ed for describing the turbulent effect. Numerical experiments were per formed in simulating the fire-induced flow and temperature in the larg e test room reported by Ingason and Olsson [15]. The predicted results using the three algorithms are compared with the experimental data. T he results show that the iterative-type solution method is good for fi re field modeling. Solutions predicted from the original noniterative PISO algorithm might not satisfy the continuity equation, but do give preliminary estimation for fire engineering application, as the requir ed computation time is significantly reduced. The treatment of free bo undary conditions for the cases studied are important in achieving a r easonably steady state solution.