171 - Exploring Water Mist Systems with Max Lakkonen

Fire Science Show

I approach modelling water mist with caution. Not that I don't understand it, but because I lack clarity in the goals and objectives, as well I'm usually aware I may not deliver the expectations of my clients in terms of the physical phenomena I am capturing... And I'm not the only one like this. In this podcast episode I explore the world of water mist with Dr Max Lakkonen from IFAB, who has just been chosen as the new President of the International Water Mist Association (IWMA),
Max dives into the history and evolution of water mist technology, explaining how a catastrophic fire on a Scandinavian Star Cruise liner 35 years ago led to its commercial introduction. Discover why understanding droplet size is crucial for optimising water mist systems and why it's important to understand these systems with a clear understanding of objectives to achieve effective fire safety solutions.
Max discusses the necessity of extensive experimental testing to account for different nozzle types, pressures, and flow rates, highlighting the complexity involved in designing these systems. We also touch on the importance of industry collaboration and the role of organizations like IWMA in bridging the gap between specialized water mist companies and fire safety engineers, ultimately ensuring the dissemination of crucial information and best practices.
Dive into the intricacies of CFD modelling in fire safety engineering, especially for water mist systems. Max brings to light the limitations of relying solely on CFD without experimental validation and the benefits of using CFD for preliminary studies to save both time and costs. We address the unique challenges of modelling cooling effects, fire suppression in tunnels, and the need for best practices and guidelines in fire safety engineering. Listen in to gain valuable insights from one of the leading experts in the field and understand why practical application often trumps academic theory in real-world fire control scenarios.
Most importantly, the CFD Position Paper we have promised to you is available to download now!!!
Make sure to visit the International Water Mist Association site for more resources and the necessary connection with the industry.
The cover image was captured at the Baltic Fire Laboratory during ITB-FRISSBE Summer School. If you want to see it live, pay attention to our announcements on LinkedIn, and perhaps we can see each other next summer!

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

Chapters

1. Modeling Water Mist in Fire Science (00:00:00)

2. Water Mist Types and Applications (00:15:42)

3. Challenges in Modeling Water Mist (00:23:24)

4. Modeling Cooling Effects of Water Mist (00:30:12)

5. Modeling Water Mist Systems Challenges (00:39:11)