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Colt Ventilation Systems For Car Parks A PDF
Colt Ventilation Systems For Car Parks A PDF
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East Side Plaza, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth
8 Cyclone induction fans and 3 Jetstream impulse fans
move the air from the entrance ramp towards the
extract system, which was also supplied by Colt.
3. Mechanically Ventilated Car Parks Colt Car Park Ventilation Systems can be There are a number of issues relating to
Where natural ventilation is not possible, designed to meet the requirements of other ducted mechanical extract systems which
such as where the car park is in a international standards such as the NFPA often cause problems for designers:
basement or fully enclosed, a mechanical and Australia/New Zealand standards, and
extract system should be used. For Colt has installations of Car Park I The ductwork runs underneath the
mechanically ventilated car parks, the Ventilation Systems in many countries ceiling, reducing the already restricted
basic requirements are that there should be around the world. height normally available.
a mechanical ventilation system that will
provide 6 air changes per hour (ACH) for We would be pleased to assist you in the I Downstand beams require the ducting
general ventilation on all levels and 10 development of designs for your car park to be set down below them, thus
ACH on the fire floor in the event of a wherever it may be. diminishing the height even further.
fire. The system should be capable of
operating at temperatures of up to 300°C I Low level extract points are required,
for 60 minutes and ductwork and fixings often needing protective barriers to
should be made from materials that have a surround them, and these take up
melting point above 800°C. The system valuable floor space.
should have at least 2 extract fans, each
providing 50% of the extract, with a I The ductwork gives the car park a
secondary power supply to operate in the cluttered look and can interfere with
event of a mains power failure. Extract CCTV coverage and lighting.
points should be designed with 50% of the
outlets at high level and 50% at low level.
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The Design Approaches
Red on the scale represents air speeds of 3m/s and above, dark blue represents 0m/s.
A 3D isometric view of the car park. A high level slice showing air speed contours just A low level slice showing air speed contours just
below the cyclone fans. above floor level.
The CFD images are part of an animation sequence. CFD modelling can assist to ensure that the direction and flow rate of the air
is effectively controlled by the fans over the complete car park to provide the most effective removal of fumes and smoke.
In 2004 Colt conducted the first UK full These tests demonstrated that properly A video is available to view at
scale comparative tests between traditional designed impulse systems can clear the www.coltinfo.co.uk.
methods of mechanical ventilation and smoke more quickly than ducted systems.
impulse ventilation in Bristol. For more information please see leaflet:
PD 56 “Full Scale ‘live’ Smoke Tests”.
The table shows the range of times taken in the demonstrations to achieve visibility
distances and for the car park to become clear of smoke.
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Plan of test rig
Grd level
Cyclone
7200
Impulse
The aim of the tests was to demonstrate Fan
7200
30000
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Impulse Ventilation Systems
CAR PARK FIRES WHAT ARE IMPULSE VENTILATION FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF IMPULSE
SYSTEMS? SYSTEMS
In the 12 year period 1994 to 2005:
In recent years jet fan or impulse Easier and quicker installation - Impulse
technology has established itself as the fans are much quicker and easier to install
I There were 3,096 fires new standard in car park ventilation. than extensive ducting
Impulse ventilation systems are an
reported in car parks
alternative to ducted mechanical extract Lower excavation costs - Low profile
systems, overcoming many of the fans can be kept within downstand beams
I Of these 1,592 fires started problems associated with such systems.
Lower maintenance - No distribution
in vehicles An impulse fan is similar to a tunnel jet ductwork to clean
fan, but has a reduced diameter in order to
maximise headroom. It comprises an axial Optimal use of space - Increased
I Most fires in car parks do fan with inlet and exhaust attenuators and headroom or lower car park build height,
not spread (to a car or any necessary guards and flow distribution with an increased number of parking bays
control devices.
another car), but fires which Better car park security - No ducting
do spread to involve more A series of such free- blowing fans, improves CCTV coverage, keeping the
mounted under the ceiling, induce air environment safer and lighter
than one car can result in movement from the air inlet openings
significant structural towards pre-designated extract points, Sprinklers - Impulse systems are
moving smoke and fumes with it. The eminently suitable for use with sprinkler
damage number and location of fans are carefully systems. Where legislation requires
chosen to match the system design sprinklers, it is possible for the approving
I About seven people are requirements, and in order to ensure that authority to accept the deletion of
there are no dead spots for fumes and sprinklers where an improved car park
injured in car park fires smoke to stagnate and collect. ventilation will be installed. In this
each year. instance, the impulse system will need to
be able to maintain clear access conditions
for fire-fighters.
Source: BRE
8
Becad Hospital, Middlesex
By re-assessing the design, Colt was able to
reduce a competitor's 35 impulse fans to 12
Cyclone induction fans.
vehicle stopped vehicle stopped vehicles will continue driving to the exit
The principles of car park impulse ventilation have been developed from procedures used for tunnel ventilation. In the event of a fire, smoke will be ‘pushed’ and
‘pulled’ to the exit. Vehicles in front of the fire will continue through to the exit, whilst vehicles behind the fire will, of course, have to stop. Although trapped, these
vehicles should be safe from the smoke.
CO Detectors
(typically every 400m2)
Fan positioning needs to take into account roof The introduction of CO detectors allows use of a more
geometry (particularly deep downstand roof sophisticated control system to match the ventilation
beams) and risk of airflow blockage by tall vehicles. rate to the car park usage, further reducing running
costs and noise levels.
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CASE HISTORY
The Postbox, Birmingham
CLIENT: Cala Homes
ARCHITECT: Ian Darby Partnership
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Taylor Woodrow
M&E CONTRACTOR: Rotary North West
On each of the two levels of the car park, four Colt Cyclone
induction fans move the air from the entrance ramp towards
the extract system, which has also been supplied by Colt.The
Colt extract system comprised attenuated high temperature
axial fan units. Colt also provided a main control system as well
as addressable carbon monoxide detectors. For day to day
operation the system monitors the carbon monoxide levels
within the car park and once a set point has been reached the
system increases the ventilation rates.
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CASE HISTORY
Arsenal
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Induction Ventilation Systems
Induction ventilation is a further In a recent project in the centre of London, Cyclone fans were
enhancement of the impulse ventilation
concept. specified since they saved significant dig-out costs. The contractor
would have needed to spend an additional £248,000 excavating an
Using the same principles as impulse
ventilators, induction fans are yet slimmer,
additional 150mm of earth in order to accommodate the greater
more efficient and powerful, thus reducing unit depths of an alternative system
the number of units required. A typical
induction fan has a throw of
approximately 40 m as opposed to 20 m Fewer units mean lower cabling and In addition, the units can be inverter
for an impulse fan. The floor area controls requirements and lower controlled for a further reduction in power
ventilated per fan is significantly greater, installation and maintenance costs. consumed.
equating to a requirement for fewer units.
Air turbulence is dramatically reduced when using a Colt Cyclone CPV fan
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CASE HISTORY
Paradise Street
ARCHITECT: Building Design Partnership
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Laing O’Rourke/Crown House
SERVICES CONSULTANT: WSP
FIRE CONSULTANT: Tenos
In 2006 Colt won the contract for what was This car park is different because it is so large
believed to be the UK's first smoke control (with the largest level being 232m by 95m) that
system for a car park. It has been designed we have to move smoke from a fire in defined
specifically to enable occupants to escape from a corridors.
car park and to assist fire-fighting crews, rather
than simply as a smoke clearance system that is So, this is a fully designed scheme rather than a
commonly applied to car parks. simple air change rate scheme.We are not
merely clearing the smoke - we are controlling
The £2.5 million project - part of Liverpool's it."
£920 million Paradise Street retail, leisure and
residential development - involved the supply Prior to the award of the contract, engineers
and installation of a Colt impulse car park from Colt and the Building Research
ventilation system for the massive 66,000m2, Establishment demonstrated the effectiveness of
2,000-space car park that was built beneath the Colt impulse scheme for the Paradise Street
Chavasse Park in Liverpool. project by conducting a series of hot smoke
tests in a simulated car park in Middlesbrough.
The four-storey underground car park was fitted These established the accuracy of CFD
with 80 Cyclone induction fans and 22 Jetstream modelling Colt had made before the test, and
impulse fans.These were designed to keep predicted that the scheme of impulse fans would
smoke completely away from the escape routes be capable of controlling the spread of smoke
without the need for smoke curtains or physical from a car fire and keeping significant areas of
barriers. the car park smoke free.
John Perry, senior consultant at Colt, explained: Smoke control for means-of-escape is described
"Nearly all of the car parks we have done in the on page 4. See page 17 for a schematic diagram
UK so far are smoke clearance systems, not of this project.
smoke control systems.With the former, you
have a designated extract rate.
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Extract Systems
There needs to be an adequately designed Where required for smoke extraction, Colt Colt also provide:
ventilation system to extract the air. In extract fans have been tested to the
addition, where the natural air supply is exacting standards of EN 12101-3: 2002. I Ductwork, including attenuators,
insufficient, supply fans may also be grilles, volume control dampers, shut-
required. CIBSE Guide Volume A: 1999, off dampers, bends and transitions.
Environmental Design, sets out a
Depending on the scope required, Colt is recommended maximum noise level of I Weathered external terminations,
able to provide a wide variety of NR55 in car parks. Colt car park systems including louvres, dampers, turrets,
mechanical extract fan and motor can be designed to achieve these noise gravity shutters, cowls and motorised
assemblies to suit the required duty and levels if required. ventilators such as the Seefire, ACE,
temperature rating. These include long Firelight and Meteor.
case, short case and plate mounted axial Colt is able to mix and match components
fans. to suit the requirements of almost any
mechanical extract system.
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B5 Southside, Birmingham
2 Inlet Fans, 13 Cyclones, 2 Extract
Fans, Dampers and Grilles, CO &
Smoke Detectors
Extract fans at The Foundation, Liverpool Extract plant at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth
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Controls
CONTROLS
The design of the controls including Using a single output detector, two stage For a smoke control system, addressable
sensors is an integral part of any car park control can be provided, typically detection is required to pinpoint the fire
ventilation system. The arrangement of switching at 15-20ppm of CO. Using location to allow correct selection of fan
sensors is determined at the design stage, variable output detectors, the system can operation to maintain the required clear
along with the controls cause and effect, provide additional stages or modulate to areas.
which determines the way in which the match the ventilation rate to the car park
equipment responds to any given usage. The effect of this is that the flow Colt can provide carbon monoxide
conditions. rates can be reduced to practically zero at detectors, nitrogen dioxide (NOx) sensors
times when there are no vehicle and heat/smoke sensors as well as fire
Day to day condition movements in the car park. alarm inputs along with all their necessary
The simplest (but rarely used) option is to controls and battery back up facilities,
run the system at a constant speed, Fire condition linked into an addressable fire detection
providing a ventilation rate of 6 ACH For a smoke clearance system, detection is system.
throughout the car park. To reduce energy required to indicate which level of the car
costs a CO detection system is used to park contains the fire, if the car park has
allow the system to run at a reduced more than one level. Upon detection all
ventilation rate in periods when vehicle fans on that level operate at high speed, all
movements are low. other fans are switched off and the extract
fans are switched to full speed, extracting
only from the fire level.
Extract Fans Level 1 Inlet Fans
Fire Heat
Rated Detector
Isolator Junction Junction
J
Box Level 2 Box J
Cyclone Carbon Monoxide HD
Fans Detector
Inlet
Extract
Damper
HD HD Damper A typical CO detector
CO CO
Heat
J J
Detector
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Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth
Air Movement
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THE COLT PACKAGE OTHER REASONS TO CHOOSE COLT: COLT SERVICE
Colt can offer the complete package, Colt Smoke Control systems are suited to Part of the Colt Group of companies,
which could include: both commercial and industrial Colt Service offers a comprehensive
buildings, and may be adapted to suit range of maintenance packages
I Scheme design. CFD analysis and most architectural requirements. incorporating the maintenance and
report repair of all building services equipment
Over the years Colt has funded a large including non Colt products.
I Supply of impulse fans, extract and/or proportion of the research into smoke
inlet fans, ductwork and dampers, control, and its representatives maintain Colt Service provides a 24 hour, 365
control systems including CO and an unparalleled level of technical day emergency cover as standard.
heat/smoke detectors expertise.
MAINTENANCE
I Installation and wiring Colt’s CFD modelling approach is
reliable and has been confirmed by Maintenance of a smoke control system
I Commissioning empirical full scale hot smoke tests. is essential. Regular maintenance
protects your investment and brings
I Service and maintenance. Colt's in-house research and peace of mind that the system will
development capability ensures that Colt operate effectively in an emergency.
A free full system check will be carried fire protection systems are designed,
out approximately 9 months after a tested and updated by Colt to meet or British Standard BS 5588-12
Smoke Control System has been installed exceed relevant legislation and standards. recommends that smoke control systems
and commissioned by Colt. Besides the should be serviced at least once a year
opportunity to check that the system is The majority of Colt's Smoke Control and tested weekly.
performing as designed, this will allow systems are manufactured in the UK
for any further training of local personnel under BS EN ISO 9001:2000 and BS EN
that may be necessary. Assuming that this ISO 14001:2004.
“Colt” and the Colt logo are registered trademarks of Colt International
“People feel better in Colt conditions” Architectural Solutions Colt International Limited
New Lane Havant
Climate Control Hampshire PO9 2LY
Tel +44(0)23 9245 1111
Smoke Control Fax +44(0)23 9245 4220
info@coltgroup.com
Service and Maintenance www.coltinfo.co.uk