Numerical analysis of thermal plume caused by large-scale fire in urban area

Wind velocity and temperature fields over Kobe city which experienced a lar ge-scale fire are numerically simulated by using CFD (Computational Fluid D ynamics) technique based on a turbulence model. Two cases of numerical simu lations are studied for a typical meteorological condition of winter; one i s with fire and the other is without fire. The result shows that the charac teristics of wind velocity field over Kobe city are well predicted in both cases. In the case with fire, the horizontal wind converging is clearly obt ained at the center of the fire, Also, the vertical circulation of wind flo w caused by the fire plume is well observed over the city. (C) 1999 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.