Challenge

A large industrial oven was to be introduced for a medical-device curing process. Product loading and unloading required a door in the top of the oven to open, releasing a plume of high-temperature air towards the building roof. The potential for the resulting thermal plume to activate roof-mounted fire detection equipment needed to be established before installation.

Engineering Approach

A first-principles mathematical analysis of the heat release and buoyant plume development was undertaken, incorporating empirical correlations where appropriate. The analytical work was used to establish appropriate inputs and provide an independent reference for a transient CFD model. The CFD analysis predicted the development of the thermal plume following door opening and the resulting temperatures in the vicinity of the roof-mounted fire detectors. External environmental effects, including ambient conditions and solar radiation on the building, were incorporated into the assessment. The oven operating cycle and heat-input strategy were also investigated to identify opportunities for improved energy efficiency.

Outcome

The analysis demonstrated that the predicted temperatures at the fire detectors would remain below the activation threshold, allowing the proposed oven installation to proceed without additional mitigation measures. The study also identified opportunities to improve the oven heat input and door operating strategy to reduce energy consumption.