Table of Contents
PyroSim is an interactive, graphical user interface (or front end) for the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). FDS models can predict smoke, temperature, carbon monoxide, and other substances during fires. The results of these simulations have been used to ensure the safety of buildings before construction, evaluate safety options of existing buildings, reconstruct fires for post-accident investigation, and assist in firefighter training.
FDS is a powerful fire simulator which was developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) [McGrattan et al., 2007]. FDS simulates fire scenarios using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) optimized for low-speed, thermally-driven flow. This approach is very flexible and can be applied to fires ranging from stove-tops to oil storage tanks. It can also model situations that do not include a fire, such as ventilation in buildings. FDS and the Smokeview visualization program are both closely integrated into PyroSim.
The PyroSim interface provides immediate input feedback and ensures the correct format for the FDS input file. You can work in either metric or English units and you can switch between the two at any time. In addition, PyroSim offers high-level 2D and 3D geometry creation features, such as diagonal walls, background images for sketching, object grouping, flexible display options, as well as copying and replication of obstructions (Chapter 9). You can import DXF files that include either 3D faces or 2D lines that can be extruded to create 3D objects in PyroSim (Chapter 3).
The PyroSim interface, for which this manual is written, supports Version 5 of the Fire Dynamics Simulator. PyroSim 2006, which supports Version 4 of the Fire Dynamics Simulator, is still available, as it is anticipated that both versions will be in use during a transition period.
You can download PyroSim from the internet by going to http://www.pyrosim.com/ to obtain the free trial. If you already have a PyroSim installation that uses the hostid for licensing (version 2008.1 or later), the installer will simply update your version of PyroSim and leave your license unchanged. If you have an older version, it will be necessary to request a new license from <support@thunderheadeng.com>.
Before installing PyroSim, please ensure that your account has administrator privileges.
To install PyroSim from the internet:
Go to the PyroSim web site at: http://www.pyrosim.com/
Follow the instructions to download a trial version
Once you have downloaded the setup program, double-click on setup.exe
Follow the steps in the installer to complete the installation process.
If you have a PyroSim CD you can follow these steps to install the software on your computer. You may also want to read the previous section on upgrading from the internet to ensure that you have the most up-to-date version of the software.
Before installing PyroSim, please ensure that your account has administrator privileges.
To install PyroSim from a CD:
Insert the PyroSim CD into your CD-ROM drive
The installation program should start automatically. If it does not, you can launch it manually. Open the Start menu and click Run..., type D:\setup.exe (where D is the drive letter of your CD-ROM), then click OK.
Follow the steps in the installer to complete the installation process.
NIST periodically provides maintenance releases of FDS and Smokeview. The FDS and Smokeview version information is provided at the top of the output dialog during execution. To use a newer (or 64 bit) executable in PyroSim:
Download the desired executables from NIST (http://fire.nist.gov/fds/) and save them on your computer.
On the File menu, click Preferences....
Click on the appropriate Folder icon in the FDS Execution section to select the executable you downloaded to your computer.
Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.
To enable PyroSim beyond the 30 day trial, you must purchase a license. A full list of purchasing options can be found at the PyroSim web site. You can purchase PyroSim online or by phone.
You can purchase PyroSim online with our secure order form at:
https://www.thunderheadeng.com/pyrosim/buy.php
The order form is encrypted and Thunderhead Engineering will not retain your credit card number. Once the online transaction has been processed you will receive a Registration Key. Follow the Software Registration instructions below to activate your license.
If you need to contact us, please refer to the Contact Us section later in this chapter.
When you purchase a license, you will receive a key that activates the software. You must enter this key in the Licensing and Activation dialog. To activate your license using Online Activation:
Start PyroSim. If the installation of PyroSim is not currently licensed, the Licensing and Activation dialog will automatically appear and you can skip to step 3.
On the Help menu, click License...
Select the Online Activation option.
Enter your Registration Key into the Key box shown in Figure 1.1
Click the Activate button.
To transfer your license to another computer:
On the Help menu, click Remove License...
Click OK to permanently remove your license.
A dialog indicating the license has been successfully removed will be displayed. Copy the Confirmation code and contact Thunderhead for a replacement license for the next computer.
PyroSim will exit when you close the Remove License dialog.
To update your version of PyroSim, simply run the installer for the updated version. Your application files will removed and replaced with an updated version and your license will remain intact.
If you purchased a perpetual license for PyroSim and your maintenance period has expired, new versions of PyroSim will not function with your old license and it will be necessary to reinstall the old version of PyroSim or purchase an updated license.
A floating (network) license allows multiple users to run PyroSim from a central server. The PyroSim License Manager is required for floating (network) licenses of PyroSim. The license manager maintains a pool of licenses that can be checked out from copies of PyroSim installed anywhere on the network. The license manager must be installed onto one computer that will act as a server for the floating licenses. Multiple PyroSim installations can then be configured to use the floating license server.
The Floating License Manager should be installed on the computer that will act as the server for the floating licenses. To install the PyroSim License Manager:
Download the PyroSim License Manager installer (PyroSimLicenseMgr-setup.exe). This file can be downloaded from the PyroSim download page.
Log in using an account with administrative privileges.
Run the PyroSim License Manager installer.
This will install the main license server (rlm.exe), a PyroSim-specific license server (theng.exe), and utilities for managing the server. To enable the floating license server, you must now install a license file.
To activate your floating license, you must install a license file. This license file is generated by Thunderhead Engineering based on your server's Host Name and Host ID. To find your Host Name and Host ID:
On the Windows Start Menu, click All Programs/PyroSim License Manager/Server HostID. A command window will appear that displays the server's Host Name and Host ID, Figure 1.2.
Send your Host Name and Host ID to Thunderhead Engineering (email sales@thunderheadeng.com). Also, include your purchasing information to help us know what kind of license you need. Thunderhead Engineering will reply with a license file (pyrosim.lic).
Copy the license file (pyrosim.lic) to the license manager installation folder, typically C:\Program Files\PyroSim License Manager.
On the Windows Start Menu, click All Programs/PyroSim License Manager/Restart License Service. You must be an administrator to restart the license service. On Windows Vista, right-click the Restart License Service shortcut and select Run as administrator.
Once the license service has been restarted, the license file will be loaded and the server is ready to provide PyroSim licenses to client computers.
You can check the status of the license server using the Server Status shortcut, which displays a short textual report of server usage, or through the Monitor License Server shortcut, which will displays a simple web interface. Both methods show how many licenses are in use and which users are currently using licenses.
HOST aurora 4e7c365b 52100
ISV theng theng.exe theng.opt 52101
By default your license server uses TCP port 52100. If you are using a personal software firewall or accessing the server across a hardware firewall, you will have to configure the firewall to allow TCP traffic on ports 52100 and 52101. The ports used by the license manager can be configured in the license file by editing the port numbers on the HOST and ISV lines. After changing the port numbers in the license file, you must restart the server for the changes to take effect. Also, any PyroSim installations that were configured using the previous port assignments will need to be updated.
There are several advanced options available to administrators to control the behavior of the license manager. The PyroSim License Manager is based on the Reprise License Manager (RLM). Please see the RLM End-User Documentation for advanced server administration. The RLM documentation can be found in the PyroSim License Manager installation folder.
Configure PyroSim to locate the floating license server using the Licensing and Activation dialog.
To configure a PyroSim installation to use a floating license:
Start PyroSim. If the installation of PyroSim is not currently licensed, the Licensing and Activation dialog will automatically appear and you can skip to step 3.
On the Help menu, click License...
Under Activation Method, click License Server.
Click the ... button to the right of the Server box to edit the server name and port number.
In the Server box, type your Host Name.
In the Port box, type 52100 (or the number you specified in the license file).
Click OK to save the server connection settings and attempt to connect to the license server.
This completes the floating license configuration. This client will now check licenses in and out as needed.
Note
The default port number is 52100. If your configuration uses a custom port number on the HOST line of the server license file, use that port number instead.
The license server location can also be set for the client using the pyrosim.props configuration file. Set the PyroSim.licenseServer property to port@host, where port is the port number of the license manager, and host is the server name. Using the server name "aurora" from our previous example, this line would be:
PyroSim.licenseServer=52100@aurora
Property names in the pyrosim.props file are case sensitive, so the property name must be entered exactly as shown.
In preparing this manual, we have liberally used descriptions from the FDS User's Guide [McGrattan et al., 2007]. The FDS Users Guide, the FDS Technical Reference, and the Smokeview Users Guide have been included with PyroSim. Updated documentation and executables for FDS and Smokeview may be available at: http://fire.nist.gov/fds/.
PyroSim runs on the Microsoft Windows operating system. You should have at least 256 MB of system RAM, and a graphics card that supports OpenGL 1.1 or later. If you want to perform realistic simulations, we recommend 2 GB of system RAM, a graphics card with at least 128 MB of graphics memory, and a dual or quad core. PyroSim transparently supports parallel processing on multi-core/multi-processor computers.