A Novel and Cost-effective Fire Sprinkler System to Protect Buildings against Bushfire

PhD Candidate: Mr. Mostafa Yousefi

Supervisory Panel

Abstract

There are different ways to protect buildings against wildfire that are classified under two main categories: Passive and Active. Using concrete walls, physical obstacle around the buildings and passive sprinklers inside the buildings are classified under passive category that prevents the fire from reaching to the building or control the fire inside the building. However, these ways are not efficient when the building is under ember attack or the heat radiation is high in a wildfire. Having a sprinkler system outside the buildings can be a solution as an alternative to the passive method. In this method, the sprinklers are placed in a certain distance around the building. The sprinklers spray water on the building surfaces. The water spray creates a physical barrier against the ember attack, mitigates the heat radiating and cools down the building surfaces. Additionally, spray droplets absorb the heat, reduces the oxygen concentration and mitigate the spread of fire. Using an active system can give an assurance to the household to leave home earlier. This can save many lives and reduce the mental burden of wildfire on the society.  These outdoor sprinklers that are called ‘wildfire sprinklers’ have been used in Australia and America since 1984. While the wildfire sprinklers have been around for a while, there are not much research on their efficiency and the cost-benefit of these systems. The current wildfire systems are designed based on indoor sprinklers systems and engineering judgement that are not reliable. Additionally, there is not a clear guideline to select the correct wildfire sprinkler system based on the building type or size.

Sources of Funding

Indicative Annual Fee covered by RTP Fees Offset

Biography

Mostafa Yousefi, born in March 1985 in Iran, is a mechanical engineer and building services expert. Graduating with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 and an MSc in 2012 from Guilan University, Mostafa demonstrated early prowess with a thesis on heat transfer and later delved into numerical analysis of unsteady blood flow in arteries. His academic achievements include publishing five journal articles, with his latest work on smoke extraction from tunnels featured in the prestigious Q1 Fire Safety Journal. With over 12 years of professional experience, Mostafa is an experienced engineer, specialising in building services such as smoke extraction, acoustics, fire safety, and HVAC. Notably, he authored a book on Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems.

Education

• MSc, Mechanical Engineering – Fluid Mechanics, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran (Sep 2009-Mar 2012)
• BSc, Mechanical Engineering - Heat and Fluid Transfer, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran (Sep 2004-Dec 2008)

Professional Affiliations

• Engineers Australia
• Iranian society of mechanical engineers (ISME)

Research Interests

• Green and sustainable building
• Fire safety and smoke extraction
• Indoor environmental quality

Related Publications

Journal Publications

• Yousefi, M., Yousefi, M., Safikhani, H., Inthavoung, K., Bamdad, K. 2021, 'Study of the Critical Velocity of the Tunnels Using an Analytical Approach', Fire Safety Journal, vol. 123, July, p. 103372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2021.103372

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