Experimental results on the dispersion of buoyant gas in a full scale garage from a complex source

An experimental setup named GARAGE has been developed in order to analyze the condition of formation of an explosive atmosphere in an enclosure. This is a full scale facility in which a real car can be parked. Hydrogen releases were simulated with helium which volume fraction was measured with mini-katharometers. These thermal conductivity probes allow spatial and time volume fraction variations measurements. We present experimental results on the dispersion of helium in the enclosure due to releases in a typical car. The tested parameters are the location of the source (engine, bottom of the car, storage) and the flow rate. Emphasis is put on the influence of these parameters on the time evolution of the volume fraction in the enclosure as well as on the vertical distribution of helium.