FDS Version 3

[Kevin McGrattan <kevin.mcgrattan@nist.gov>]

All

I've received some good suggestions for new features in FDS
v3, plus I've been busy
fixing bugs. Things I'm working on:

1. The ability to make obstructions zero cells thick. This
is useful for crude grids
   and where the obstruction is a sheet of metal or glass
window. The tricky part
   is that there is no way to have a flow coming out of one
side without the flow
   going into the other because there is only one velocity
vector at the wall. For
   just a passive barrier, the code works well.

2. A number of people want more flexibility triggering
events to happen based on the
   activation of HEAT detectors. I'm adding the ability to
trigger events to happen
   if any HEAT detector activates. For more flexibility, let
me know. I don't want
   the logic of all this to become too confusing or more
bugs will pop up.

3. Glenn Forney has been away alot this summer, but has
built some nice features
   into Smokeview which will have to be debugged. Texture
mapping and better color
   are some of the items.

4. I'm putting into the THCP feature the ability to get
integrated quantities like
   flow rates through vents.

5. I'm still puzzled by code failures when using multiblocks
in burning rooms. A
   number of bug reports have come in. For those of you
experiencing these problems,
   hold off until a new version is ready to test.

Keep the bug reports coming, and try to keep the test cases
as simple as possible.
I'll be away tomorrow and next week, but will respond to
notes after that.

Kevin

-- 
Kevin McGrattan
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8663
Gaithersburg MD 20899-8663

Telephone: (301) 975 2712
FAX:       (301) 975 4052