Experimental and computational study of the temperatures field around a chimney roof penetration

The number of roof fires due to the passage of chimneys is high. Since the experimental procedure necessary to identify all the variables affecting the temperature reached by roof in the vicinity of a chimney would be expensive, a 2D numerical model for the estimation of the temperatures in the roof has been designed. The model has been validated by means of experimental tests in which a certified chimney has been installed in three roofs and spaced from flammable materials as prescribed by the manufacturer. In order to reproduce the diverse conditions that may occur in real installations, the clearance between chimney and roof has been sealed in three ways (sealed with insulating panels, sealed with metal sheets, and filled with insulating materials). Good agreement between measured and estimated data is shown, and the estimated temperatures are in favour of safety. The effects of the clearance sealing mode and the chimney installation quality on flammable materials temperature are also shown.