(ISO 9001:2015 Certified)

Tunnel Ventilation System

Sanjay Kr. Aggarwal

Associate Professor/(E&M/L&E)
 Introduction
• Tunnel Ventilation System (TVS) is a very important
system available in all the underground metro stations.
• Functions of TVS are:
 Relief from piston effect during normal operation.
 Provide air flow inside tunnel for temperature control
during congestion.
 Removal of smoke during emergency and providing
safe evacuation path for passengers.
 Provide ventilation inside tunnel for maintenance
staff. 2
 Major Equipments of
Tunnel Ventilation System
TVF Tunnel Ventilation Fan

Nozzles Increase Air Velocity

TBF Tunnel Booster Fan – Generates Thrust

TVDs Tunnel Ventilation Dampers – Provides Air Path

Attenuators Absorbs Sound Generated by Fan

Air Compressor To generate compressed air for operation of

Tunnel Ventilation Dampers
 Tunnel Ventilation Fan - TVF
• Two nos. TVFs are mounted at each end of platform/
concourse to supply/ extract air to/ from tunnel.
• These fans are 100% reversible axial flow fans. Fans
and all components are capable of operating in an
ambient temperature of 250 degrees C for one hour in
Phase-I stations and for two hours in Phase-II & III
stations.
• Fans are designed and built to serve underground
subway environment and to function under condition
of high humidity and high temperature.
Tunnel Ventilation Fan - TVF

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 Nozzles

• Two nos. of nozzles are located at each end of the

station between TVF & Tunnel. It has large
opening at TVF end and small opening at tunnel
end.
• These are used to increase the velocity of air
when TVF is operating in supply mode.
Nozzle

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Nozzle

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 Tunnel Booster Fan - TBF
• Two nos. of fans are suspended from ceiling in
each tunnel with intake and discharge cylindrical
silencers.
• These fans are 100% reversible jet fans.
• All fans, motors and equipment in contact with the
airflow are suitable for operation at 250 Degree C
for duration of one hour in Phase-I stations and for
two hours in Phase-II & III stations.
TBF

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 Tunnel Booster Fan - TBF
• Tunnel Booster Fans are provided in some tunnels
only, mainly in crossovers where tunnel cross
section is enlarged and there is no wall between
the two tunnels.
• TBFs are also provided at portals to induce thrust
to air in either direction.
• Whenever TBFs are provided, nozzles are not
required.
TBF

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Tunnel Ventilation Dampers - TVDs
• Tunnel Ventilation Dampers are provided in each
TVS Plant Room.
• TVDs are used to regulate airflow in the desired
direction.
• TVDs are made of stainless steel and are
pneumatically operated.
• Various types of TVDs used in TVS are – FID,
SRD, NZD, SD & DRD.
Damper

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Tunnel Ventilation Dampers - TVDs
• Fan Isolation Dampers (FID) – Purpose of this
damper is to isolate one TVF from another one at
the time of operation. FID is interlocked with TVF
motor and if damper does not open, the fan will not
start.
• Supply/ Return Dampers (SRD) – This damper is
used to supply the air in the tunnel (in case nozzle
is not present), which is further boosted by tunnel
booster fan. This also serves as a return air path
while TVF is operating in extract mode.
TVS Schematic

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Tunnel Ventilation Dampers - TVDs
• Nozzle Damper (NZD) – It provides necessary air
path in required tunnel through nozzle while other
tunnel remains isolated.
• Draft Relief Damper (DRD) – It provides air
passage to tunnel air blow cause by piston effect of
moving train. Secondly, it minimizes mixing of hot
tunnel air with cooled platform air.
• Shaft Damper (SD) – It provides necessary
passage for atmospheric air to supply in tunnel or
discharge smoke/air from tunnel with the help of
TVF.
 Attenuators
• Sound attenuators are provided on both sides of
the tunnel ventilation fans. The cross section of
the attenuators shall be either square or
rectangular.
• The outer casing of attenuator is fabricated from
galvanized steel sheet.
• Noise attenuators have sound absorbing
insulation of mineral wool/ rock wool inside to
keep the sound down.
Sound Attenuator
 Air Compressor

• Two nos. Air Compressors are installed inside

either of the ECS plant rooms.
• The compressed air is used to operate the TVDs
which are having the pneumatic actuators.
Air Compressor
TVS Schematic PF Level

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TVS Schematic Concourse Level
TVF SD

NZD
Nozzle

SRD FID DRD

Attenuators

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TVS Schematic PF Level without Nozzle

SRD
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TVS Redundancy

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TVS – Modes of Operation
There are four modes of operation of TVS:

• Maintenance Mode

• Normal Mode

• Congestion Mode

• Emergency Mode
TVS – Modes of Operation
TVS Control

Maintenance mode

Master Mode selection

 Maintenance Mode
• Maintenance Mode of TVS is done to check the
working of all TVS Dampers.
• During this ECS system may be running or
otherwise in Open/Close Mode as per Ambient
Temperature.
• During this mode, FID, DRD, SRD, Nozzle and
Shaft Dampers are operated from BMS and their
operation is checked.
• Damper should open and close in prescribed
time limit as per design.
 Normal Mode
• Normal Mode means in station and in tunnel
everything is normal.
• During this ECS system will be running in
Open/Close Mode as per Ambient Temperature.
• During this the DRD are kept open and Shaft
Damper is Open /Close as per ECS Mode.
• Rest of equipment are in OFF state but ready for
any operation.
Normal Scenario – Open Mode

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 Normal Scenario – Close Mode

In Phase-I Stations, only DRD are used to relieve air pressure due to piston
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effect whereas in Phase-II & Phase-III Stations, both DRD and SRD are used.
 Congestion Mode
• Congestion Mode of operation of the TVS System is mode
corresponding to situation when train stops between two
stations for extended period of time in tunnel.
• Heat dissipation by condenser of train air conditioner leads
to increase the tunnel temperature around the train.
• When the tunnel air temperature in the vicinity of the
condenser inlets exceeds 46 Degree C, the AC units begin
unloading. This is a condition when the efficiency of the
system is drastically reduced to the point that there is no
more cooling effects for the passengers onboard.
• To prevent the accumulation of warm tunnel air around
idling train leads to activation of TVF push – pull mode.
Nearer station will act in supply mode and farther station
will act in extract mode.
Congested Scenario (Supply) –
Close Mode

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Congested Scenario (Supply) –
Open Mode

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Congested Scenario (Extract) –
Open Mode

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Congested Mode

Fresh or Cool Air

Hot Air
 Emergency Mode
• Emergency conditions are the TVS operational mode for
any variety of occurrences including transit vehicle
malfunctions, derailment or fire that may result in smoke
conditions in the tunnel.
• TVS controls the smoke flows to the extended that safe
evacuation route is created for passengers of an incident
train.
• TVS of one of the station will act as a supply mode and
another TVS of other station will act as an extract mode.
• Supply & extract mode of TVS system depends upon
location of fire in the train.
Emergency Mode – Rear
Evacuation

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Emergency Mode – Rear
Evacuation

Fresh Outside Air

Hot Smoke
Emergency Mode – Front
Evacuation

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 TVS Operational Hierarchy
1. From Operation Control Centre (OCC) using SCADA
system.
2. From Station Control Room via local BMS work station.
3. From Ventilation control Panel (VCP) at each station in
SCR.
4. Locally through touch screen at TVS PLC in ECS Plant
Room (in Ph-III only).
5. Local Control Panel (LCP) in TVS Plant Room.
6. MCC Panel of TVS System.
TVS Operational Hierarchy

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 NFPA COMPLIANCES
System Particulars DMRC Practice NFPA Requirement

Full operational mode

TVS Design NFPA 130 – 7.2.1 (3)
reached within 180 seconds

Fan and equipment rated Airflow rates to be maintained for minimum 1 hr

TVS Airflow
for 2 hr (NFPA 130 – 7.2.1 (5))

Emergency Ventilation
Tunnel 150°C for 1 hr
fans and associated Rated for 250°C for 2 hrs
Ventilation (NFPA 130 - 7.3.2 & 7.3.2.1)
equipments
System

115 dBa for few seconds and 92 dBa for

Noise Level 75 dBa
remainder of the exposure (NFPA 130 – B 2.1.5)

Local fan motor starters and related operating

Placed in separate panel
Starters and operating control devices shall be located away from the
room away from the
equipments direct airstream of the fans to the greatest extent
airstream
practical (NFPA 130 – 7.3.4).
Thanks