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Sustainability and Smoke
Control
Dr. John H. Klote, PE
CIBSE, London UK
13 March 2013
Sustainability & Smoke Control
Fire Protection & Smoke Control Systems
Sustainable
During Fire: Minimize Damage to Materials
During Fire: Minimize Impact on Environment
The focus of this talk is sustainable smoke
control systems that can be used in place of
code mandated systems.
Note: In this talk, the term atrium is used in a generic
sense to mean any large volume space (atrium,
enclosed shopping mall, sports arena, airplane hangar,
etc.).
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Sustainability & Smoke Control
Sustainable Smoke Control Systems Limited
Only by Ingenuity, Creativity, and Knowledge
of the Design Team
Essential: Alternate Systems Provide at Least
Equivalent Protection
Many Sources of Smoke Control Information
New ASHRAE Publication Handbook of Smoke
Control Engineering
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Topics in New Smoke Control Book
Design Weather Data
Flow of Air and Smoke
Egress Analysis
Design Fires
Human Exposure to Smoke
Automatic Controls
Pressurized Stairwells
Pressurized Elevators
Zoned Smoke Control
Atrium Smoke Control
Topics (Continued)
Fire and Smoke Control in Transport Tunnels
Computer Analysis (CONTAM, CFAST & CFD)
Full Scale Fire Testing
Commissioning & Periodic Testing
Appendix: Derivation of Equations
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Smoke Control Systems
Conventional System: Goal is to keep smoke
away from occupants during evacuation.
There is always some amount of smoke that
comes into contact with occupants.
The intent is that smoke contact is slight.
Tenability System: Goal is to maintain a
tenable environment during evacuation.
A tenable environment is one in which smoke
and heat are limited such that exposure is not
life threatening.
Systems are analyzed to provide confidence
that a tenable environment is maintained.
Analysis of Tenability Systems
Smoke Transport Calculations
CFD Modeling (Atria)
Network Modeling (Large Buildings)
Tenability Calculations
Toxic Gases
Heat
Thermal Radiation
Reduced Visibility
Evacuation Calculations
Evacuation time = pre-movement + movement
time
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Natural Smoke Venting
Alternative to Atrium Smoke Exhaust (Naturel
Venting Used more in UK than US)
Smoke Vented through Opening(s) in Ceiling
Makeup Air from Opening(s) in Wall(s)
Eliminate Fans
Only Equipment: Automatic Vents & Controls
Saves Some Power during Weekly Self-Tests
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Smoke Filling
Alternative to Atrium Smoke Exhaust (Smoke
Filling Used more in UK than US)
Applicable for Very Large and High Atria
Smoke Diluted in Large Volume (Plume
Mechanics)
Eliminates All Smoke Control Equipment
CFD & Tenability Analysis Recommended
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Pressurization Systems
Pressurization systems are conventional
because they are intended to keep smoke
away from occupants during evacuation.
Sustainable Systems
Reduce Fan Size: Tighten Construction & Door
Leakage
Change to a Tenability System (Ventilation
System or Passive System)
Reevaluated Old Ideas?
Purged Vestibules, Smoke Shafts, Exterior Wall
Vents, etc.
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Stairwell Ventilation
Example of Using Ventilation (Ferreira &
Cutonilli 2008; Klote 2011)
Concept: Ventilation Air Supplied to Stairs to
Dilute Smoke & Maintain Tenable Conditions
P Not Intended
Some Smoke Leakage
Design: Balance between Ventilation &
Smoke Leakage
Ventilation Promising for Tall Stairwells
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Summary
Sustainable smoke control systems can be
used in place of code mandated systems.
Smoke control systems can be classified as
(1) conventional systems and (2) tenability
systems.
Tenability systems are particularly useful as
sustainable smoke control systems.
Examples of sustainable systems: (1) Atrium
Venting, (2) Atrium Filling, and (3) Stairwell
Ventialtion.
Questions?
John H. Klote
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