Experimental study on fire behaviours of double fires with asymmetric heat release rates in the tunnel with natural ventilation

This study experimentally investigates fire behaviors of double fires with asymmetric heat release rates in a naturally ventilated tunnel including flame merging and longitudinal ceiling gas temperature distribution. The comparison between double fires with symmetric and asymmetric heat release rates was also made. The results show that the flame merging possibility increases as the heat release rate on one side increases. The ratio of heat release rates between double fire sources still influences the flame merging possibility under a given total heat release rate. The ceiling gas temperature distribution is related to the flame merging state. As the fire separation distance increases from zero, the position of peak temperature is closer to the fire source with a larger heat release rate due to a smaller flame tilt angle. For scenarios with mean flame merged, the ceiling gas temperature distribution on both sides is equal. For scenarios with mean flame not merged, the ceiling gas temperature on the side with a larger heat release rate is much higher. Finally, different empirical models are established to predict the excess ceiling gas temperature attenuation, considering different flame merging states and smoke spread regions.