Smoke Detection & Management

ENFP 627
Introduction

J. Milke, Professor
Dept of Fire Protection Engineering

Lect 1 Slide 1

Scope of Course

 Smoke characteristics generated in fires

 Detection of smoke
 Movement of smoke
 Smoke management system design
 Stairwell pressurization
 Zoned smoke control
 Elevator smoke control
 Smoke management in large volume spaces
 Design of tests of smoke management systems

Lect 1 Slide 2

Course Objectives

 By the end of this course, you should be able to:

 Estimate the smoke layer depth and properties resulting
from fires
 Understand the principles of smoke movement
 Assess smoke movement in a building network
 Identify the basis and limitations for smoke management
system designs
 Formulate rational test plans to assess the adequacy of
installed smoke management systems.

Lect 1 Slide 3

1
Outline of Module #1

 Problem of smoke
 Smoke management objectives
 Smoke management solutions

Lect 1 Slide 4

Fire Safety Concepts Tree

Fire Safety Objectives

NFPA 550

Prevent
Manage Fire Impact
Fire Ignition

Manage Fire Manage Exposed

Lect 1 Slide 5

Fire Safety Concepts Tree

Manage Fire

Control Suppress Control Fire by

Combustion Fire Construction
Process

Control Control the Control Provide

Fuel Environment Movement of Structural
Fire Stability

Automatic Manual

Lect 1 Slide 6

2
Fire Safety Concepts Tree

Manage
Exposed

Limit Amount Safeguard

Exposed Exposed

Move Defend Exposed in

Exposed Place

Cause Provide Provide Safe

Movement of Movement Destination
Exposed Means

Lect 1 Slide 7

Time to Incapacitation, CO

40000
CO Concentration (ppm)

rest
30000 light
heavy
20000

10000

0
0 2 4 6 8 10

Time (minutes)
Purser, SFPE, 2002
Lect 1 Slide 8

Problem of Smoke

 Potential to cause appreciable damage to contents

 Example- electronic equipment:

Concentration for Concentration for

Gas
Visual Damage (ppm) Electrical Damage (ppm)

HCl 100 1000

HF 100 1000

Acetic Acid 1000 1000

NO2 1000 1000

SO2 >1000 >1000

NFPA 75
Lect 1 Slide 9

3
 What is Smoke?

“The airborne solid and liquid

particulates and gases evolved
when a material undergoes
pyrolysis or combustion,
together with the quantity of air
that is entrained or otherwise
mixed into the mass”

NFPA 92

Lect 1 Slide 10

The Hazard Posed by Smoke

smoke
layer Properties of smoke layer: CO, CO2,
depth … , temperature, visibility, corrosivity

Lect 1 Slide 11

MGM Grand Hotel Fire

24
22
20
18
16
14
Floor

12
10
8
6
4
2

0 5 10 15 20
Nov. 21, 1980
Deaths

Lect 1 Slide 12

4
Smoke Control Objectives

Maintain tenable environment in key areas

egress paths during time required for evacuation
area of refuge during entire incident
command center during entire incident
 limit temperature rise
 limit concentration of toxic gases
 maintain visibility
Limit migration of smoke beyond fire area
during entire incident

Lect 1 Slide 13

Smoke Control Objectives

Provide conditions in and outside of fire zone

to assist emergency personnel conducting
search & rescue and locating/controlling fire
 reduce heat load
 improve visibility
Limit quantity of smoke exposing property &
contents
 electrical equipment
 clothing
Aid in post-fire smoke removal

Lect 1 Slide 14

Smoke Control Approaches

Approach Example
Physical barriers Compartmentation
Draft curtains
Pressure difference Stairwell pressurization
Zoned smoke control
Elevator smoke control
Opposed airflow High velocity airflow to protect
selected openings
Passive filling Smoke reservoir
Buoyancy Natural venting
Removal Mechanical venting

Lect 1 Slide 15

5
Compartmentation

Airtight?

Lect 1 Slide 16

Stairwell Pressurization

 Required: Smokeproof
Stairs
 High-rise buildings
 Underground spaces
 Design Objective:
 Establish p to prevent smoke
spread into stairwell

Lect 1 Slide 17

Stairwell Pressurization

 Design Basis
 Minimum pressure difference
 pressure from fire effects
 Maximum pressure difference
 force to open door
 Approach: Dedicated fans
 Activation: Any fire alarm p
initiating device

Lect 1 Slide 18

6
Zoned Smoke Control

 Required
 Areas of refuge
 Underground spaces
 Design Objective: Establish
p to prevent smoke spread
into non-fire area high pressure

low pressure high pressure

Lect 1 Slide 19

Zoned Smoke Control

 Design basis
 Pressure differential: pressure developed by fire.
 Zoned smoke control is usually proposed only in
buildings with automatic sprinklers
 Given movement of smoke caused by location of
intake/exhaust locations and supply of air to fire zone
 Approach: HVAC system or dedicated fans
 Activation: Fire alarm initiating device which can
reliably identify fire zone
 Integration of alarm zone, partitions and mechanical
zone

Lect 1 Slide 20

Elevator Smoke Control

 Required: egress from area

of refuge (101)
 Design Objective: Establish
p to prevent smoke spread
into elevator shaft
 rescue of mobility impaired
persons
 evacuation of any building
occupant
 prevent smoke spread via
elevator shaft

Lect 1 Slide 21

7
 Smoke Management in Large Spaces

 Required: Atria, Covered

Malls, Smoke-protected
Seating Areas
 Design Objective:
 Limit descent of smoke
layer/hazard development

Lect 1 Slide 22

Atrium

Lect 1 Slide 23

Indoor Stadium

Lect 1 Slide 24

8
Smoke Management in Large Spaces

 Design Basis
 Provide minimum clear height
above highest walking level
 Limit conditions of smoke layer
 Prevent smoke spread from large
space
 Approaches:
 Dedicated fans
 Natural vents
 Opposed airflow
 Passive filling
 Activation: Any fire alarm
initiating device
Lect 1 Slide 25

Smoke Exhaust Capacity

clear height

 How can smoke layer descent be arrested?

Lect 1 Slide 26

Smoke Removal via

Mechanical or Natural Venting

 Design bases:
 limit smoke layer depth:
 smoke removal rate =

 limit smoke layer properties via

removal
 smoke layer properties
proportion to smoke exhaust
rate

Lect 1 Slide 27

9
Opposed Airflow

 Direct airflow across opening to prevent smoke

migration

Airflow

Lect 1 Slide 28

Passive Filling

 Upper portion of large volume

space can serve as smoke
reservoir
 Design basis:
 Consider time for smoke to fill to
critical level; depends on:
 height to critical level
 design fire: heat release rate,
available fuel
 suppression systems

Lect 1 Slide 29

Effectiveness, Efficacy & Reliability

 Effectiveness = Efficacy x Reliability

 Efficacy: capability to achieve objective(s), given
operation
 Reliability: will system operate, given demand
 Complexity
 Components
 Maintenance

Lect 1 Slide 30

10
System Reliability
 Reliability of a component:
Ri  exp  i t 

 Reliability of system with n components in “series”

(i.e. no redundant components):
n
R   Ri  R1 R2 R3    Rn
i 1

Lect 1 Slide 31

Smoke Control System Design Tools

 Algebraic equations: fluid statics, vent flows

 Zone models
 algebraic equations
 computer models

 Network models: airflow analysis

 Physical models: small-scale tests
 Field models: CFD models

Lect 1 Slide 32

Acceptance Tests

Develop rationally-based test protocols

 Establish performance criteria
 Assess performance of individual components
and entire system per performance criteria

Lect 1 Slide 33

11
Summary

 Objective in smoke control system design:

 develop a cost-effective smoke control system which
satisfies the stated objectives, given
 Stipulated design fire(s)
 Design constraints

Lect 1 Slide 34

Assignment
 Propose smoke management approaches for the
following situations. Your proposal should indicate
the objective(s) of the design and how your
proposal seeks to meet the objective(s).
1. A 3-story museum, where all 3 stories are open to
an atrium in the middle of the building. Assume
the building is sprinkler protected.
2. A 6-story general hospital. Assume the building is
sprinkler protected.

Lect 1 Slide 35

Next Module

 Module 2 addresses the hazard of smoke

 Estimate production rate of the components of smoke
 How much of any component is produced per kg of fuel
consumed?
 Estimate qualities of a smoke layer
 Smoke layer depth
 Concentration of gases in smoke layer
 Temperature of smoke layer
 Visibility through smoke layer

Lect 1 Slide 36

12