Building Smoke Management

March 2010
By: Felipe Agustin
Toxic Gas;
CO;
Narcotic gas
Hydrogen Cyanide;
Acidic halides; and
Acrolein
Reduced oxygen level;
High Temperatures;
Reduced Visibility.
Hinder escape;
Hinder Rescue
Contain the smoke within the source of fire
and avoid spreading out to other rooms;
Minimize the production of smoke;
Maintain tenable environment within all exit
access and area of refuge access path for
the time necessary to allow occupants to
reach an exit or area of refuge.
Atriums;
Large Void Spaces;
Areas of Refuge;
Corridors;
Lift lobbies;
Fire compartment
Stairwell Pressurization
Smoke Production;
Type, location and quantity of fuel;
Height cross sectional area and area (volume) of the area to be protected;
Volume of unseparated space that communicates with another large volume
area;
Type & location of occupancies;
Barriers separating adjacent spaces from a large volume space;
Egress routes from large volume space and any communicating space;
Areas of refuge.
Standard Fire Exhaust system
Stop air supply to fire effected floors;
Supply air to all fire unaffected floors;
Extract from fire effected floors;
Stop all extract from fire effected floors;
Maintain 20 Pa Pressure differential
between fire effected and unaffected
floors.
*Uses Larger riser sizes.
Alternative Fire Exhaust system:
Stop air supply to fire affected floors;
Supply air to immediate (one only) floor
above and below fire affected floors;
Extract from fire affected floor;
Stop all extract from immediate (one
only) floor above and below fire affected
floors;
All other floors, stop supply and extract.
Central VAV system:
Stop air supply to all floors;
Extract air from fire affected floor;
Stop all extract from all unaffected
floors;
Use fire rated exhaust fan.
Floor by Floor VAV system:
Supply & Exhaust air shafts sized for
minimum outside air only;
Fire rated exhaust fan to be fitted with
VSD or 2 speed motor control;
Supply air fan to be fitted with VS
controller;
During fire mode: both supply and
extract fan to enable at high speed;
Air exhaust from fire affected floor;
Supply to immediate floor above and
below.
Tempered Outside Air Supplied with Chilled
Beams:
Supply & Exhaust air shafts sized for
minimum outside air only;
Fire rated exhaust fan;
During fire mode MO1 to close MO2 to
open;
Outside air fan supply air to affected
floor above & below fire affected floor for
pressurization;
Return air fan fitted with VS Controller;
Fan to run high speed for exhaust from
fire affected floor.
Design Limitations (NFPA 92B):
Smoke Layer depth = 20% of floor to ceiling
height (rule of thumb not to exceed 1meter;
Based on Engineering Analysis;
Make-up air velocity not to exceed 1.02 m/s to
avoid smoke disruption and spreading;
Door opening shall not force door opening to
pressure limit (max 50 Pa).
Minimum Design Pressure Difference Across
Barriers as per NFPA 92A:
Building Type Ceiling Height Design Pressure
Difference (in w.g.)
AS
Any 0.05 or (12.5 Pa)
NS
9 ft or 2.7 meter 0.10 or (25 Pa)
NS 15 ft or 4.6 meters 0.14 or (35 Pa)
NS
21 ft or 6.4 meters 0.18 or (45 Pa)
Note: AS Sprinklered; NS Non Sprinklered
ALGEBRAIC EQUATIONS
REFER TO CHAPTER 6
OF NFPA 92B;
SCALE MODELLING
REFER TO SECTION 5.6
OF NFPA 92B;
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID
DYNAMICS COMPUTER
SIMULATION
Smoke Dampers Shall be listed in accordance with ANSI/UL 555S;
Control System shall be listed in accordance with ANSI/UL 864
Standard for Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems;
Smoke Detectors
Conventional type
Beam type:
Projected; and
Optical;
Fire Curtains - Shall be listed in accordance with ANSI/UL 268;
Fans
SAVES LIFE;
CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH MECHANICAL
VENTILATION SYSTEMS;
CAN BE DESIGNED TO ASSIST
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL;
CAN BE USED AS POST FIRE SMOKE
REMOVAL