Fire Simulation with FDS / BIM HVACTool:
The FDS Add-On enables the ability to export to FDS within the BIM HVAC Tool. FDS allows you to perform fire simulations, and the great thing is that you can use the same model that you may have already used for OpenFOAM.
The FDS Add-On not only enables exporting to FDS, but also allows you to import external FDS projects. Learn from other projects or review their settings within the BIM HVAC Tool.
Download FDS-SMV:
You can download the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Smokeview (SMV) Package for windows 64bit here:
- The tool voxelizes your BIM model, allowing you to use even complex models in FDS.
- Import foreign FDS files and examine their settings.
- With the one-click technique, you can easily set up a fire simulation.
Programming with a Natural Touch – FDS at your fingertips
The BIM HVAC Tool uses graphical components, such as a controller, sprinkler or thermostat, to set up a Fire Simulation in a native manner using FDS
Complex geometry made simple - BIM2FDS
The process of converting a 3D BIM model to FDS CFD is designed to be straightforward. Based on the background grid where you set up the cells, your geometry is divided into small cubes. This is referred to as voxelization. Here’s an example of how a complex museum can be processed for FDS:
If you know OpenFOAM well, then you know how to use FDS
The goal of the BIM HVACTool is to allow you to switch seamlessly between OpenFOAM and FDS. This means that if you have defined the mesh for FDS, you can also use it for OpenFOAM simultaneously. The boundary conditions and patches are similar to those in OpenFOAM and can be synchronized as well.
Examine in advance how the mesh will appear in FDS later
In FDS, voxelization is required because it represents the process of converting complex geometries into a grid of individual cells or voxels. For simple geometries in FDS, voxelization may not be necessary. FDS can directly handle basic geometric shapes, such as boxes, cylinders, spheres, etc., without the need for voxelization. These shapes can be defined explicitly within the FDS input file using their geometric parameters (e.g., dimensions, position, orientation). However, when dealing with complex or irregular geometries, voxelization is often required to represent them accurately within the simulation domain.
Why not give it a try yourself? Why not start with the garage?
In this example project, we simulate a car fire in a small garage. The adjacent cars can also catch fire. There is only one entrance and exit to the garage. To try the project yourself, simply download the project file and open it in the BIM HVACTool. Then, click on “FDS Export” and FDS should start the simulation. You can view the results in SmokeView.
