3/11/2011

SMOKE CONTROL LESSONS

LEARNED: DESIGN AND
COMMISSIONING

Joshua D. Greene, P.E.

Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc.

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

Smoke Control Fundamentals

Lessons Learned Design
Lessons Learned Commissioning

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Definitions
Smoke Control System:
An engineered system that uses mechanical fans to
produce pressure differences across smoke barriers to
inhibit smoke movement
Smoke Exhaust System
A mechanical or gravity system intended to move smoke
from the smoke zone to the exterior of the building,
including smoke removal, purging, and venting systems,
as well as the function of exhaust fans utilized to reduce
the pressure in a smoke zone

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Early Prescriptive
Requirements (up to
early 1990s)
Air Changes
Operable Windows
Current Prescriptive
Requirements
Passive or active smoke
control
Based on design fire and
specific guidelines for feature
being protected

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Performance
Requirements
Establish Performance
Goals
Outline Design Method
Document results of
performance analysis
Fire Models
Fire Dynamics
Simulator
Contam

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Where Required
Covered Mall Buildings
Atria
Underground Buildings
Stages* (smoke control or roof vents)
Group I-3 windowless buildings
Smoke-Protected Assembly Seating
High-Rise (smokeproof enclosures)

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Types of Smoke
Control
Passive Barriers
Active
A ti M Methods
th d
Pressurization Method
Exhaust Method
Airflow Method

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Passive Barriers
Uses Smoke Barriers to
contain smoke (smoke
compartments)
Smoke Dampers in Duct
Penetrations & Air Registers
No Fan-Assisted Smoke
Control

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Pressurization Method
Primary method of smoke control per IBC
Smoke Control Concept: Containment
Stair Pressurization: Tenability

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Pressurization Method
Smoke Control System creates a pressure
difference between smoke compartment with
fire and adjacent smoke compartments

Smoke

Non-Fire Side
Higher Pressure
Fire Side
Lower Pressure

Figure taken from Principles of Smoke Management by Klote and Milke

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Airflow Method
Method must be approved by the AHJ
Rarely used, though it is a code permitted
method
th d
Smoke Control Concept: Containment

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Airflow Method
Uses active fans / HVAC equipment to
create opposing airflow through openings
in the smoke compartment to limit smoke
movement from the fire compartment

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Exhaust Method
Method most associated with smoke control
Method must be approved by AHJ
Mostly used in large spaces with high
ceilings
Smoke Control Concept: Tenability

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Exhaust Method
Intent is to keep adjacent smoke
compartments
p free of smoke as well as to
remove smoke from the compartment of
origin to maintain a tenable environment for
occupants
Not intended to remove all smoke from fire
compartment

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Exhaust Method
Typically uses active HVAC equipment to
exhaust smoke near the topp of the space
p
Natural ventilation may sometimes be used,
but there are limits
LEED
Stratification issues

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Exhaust Method
Goal is to keep smoke above highest level
open
p to the space
p used for occupant
p
egress
2000 and 2003 IBC: smoke level at 10 ft
2006 and 2009 IBC: smoke level at 6 ft

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

mout

min
min

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Stair Pressurization
Smokeproof Enclosures
Required where stairs serve floors more than
75 feet above the lowest level of fire department
vehicle access
30 feet below the level of exit discharge
Three smokeproof enclosure options
Stair pressurization most used

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Stair Pressurization
Similar concept as pressurization method
Pressure difference between stairs and
adjacent areas to reduce smoke migration into
stair
Uses one or more pressurization fans
dedicated to the stair enclosure

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Stair Pressurization
Pressure Difference Requirements (IBC)
Minimum = 0.10 inch H20
Maximum = 0.35 inch H20
Measured with all doors closed*
Vestibule between stair and adjacent
spaces (corridor) not required, but
permitted.

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Know Your Codes

Code and edition make a difference
2006 IBC different than 2009 IBC
Height of smoke level
Duration of smoke control
Review local amendments
May impact your design
West coast, in particular, modifies IBC
smoke control requirements

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Design Team Coordination

Architect
Location and design of barriers
Mechanical Engineer
System equipment (fans, dampers, etc.)
Controls
Configuration
Fire Protection System Designer
Proper zoning of systems

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Smoke Exhaust Calculations

Designers MUST calculate for all
applicable plumes
Only axisymmetric plume is calculated
Typically, the balcony spill plume
calculations result in larger exhaust rate
than axisymmetric plume

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Smoke Exhaust Calculations

Axisymmetric Plume Balcony Spill Plume

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Design Fire
Based on rational analysis
Fuel characteristics and
configuration
fi ti
Steady or unsteady fire
Use best available data
NFPA 92B Annex
Actual fire test results
Effectiveness of sprinkler
protection

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Makeup Air
Usually not incorporated into design early
enough
Coordination between architect and mechanical
engineer
Difficult to add after Design Development
Necessary to regulate the negative
pressure (door opening force) caused by
smoke exhaust

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Makeup Air
Can be provided naturally, mechanically, or
a combination of both
Often
Often, not enough is provided and high
velocities are the result
Impacts door opening forces
Must be provided entirely below the
smoke interface level
Positive position confirmation devices

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Smoke Detection
Activate smoke control
Spot vs. Beam smoke detectors
Spot Will smoke plume hit the detectors?
Beam Need to account for smoke
stratification

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Smoke Detection
Spot Detectors and the Smoke Plume

Spot detectors on
balconies are not in
smoke plume

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Smoke Detection
Beam Detectors and Stratification

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Leakage Factors
Are the IBC leakage factors appropriate for
the design?
LEED/Sustainable
LEED/S t i bl D Design
i tighter
ti ht construction
t ti
Incorrect leakage factors in design can
cause issues during commissioning
Door opening forces
Stair pressurization
Example: CMU vs. Painted CMU

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Properly Listed Equipment

Control unit complying with UL 864 and
listed as smoke control equipment
q p
UL Category UUKL listing
Fire alarm equipment
BAS equipment, if used as control equipment

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Fire Fighters Smoke Control Panel
Install in approved location
Manual controls for mechanical smoke
control
Control capabilities
Provide control over equipment that can also
be controlled by other sources in the building
ON-AUTO-OFF (Fans)
OPEN-AUTO-CLOSE (Dampers)
ON-OFF or OPEN-CLOSE (Equipment only
controlled at smoke control panel)

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Fire Fighters Smoke Control Panel
Status indicators
White operating equipment normal status
Red operating equipment off or closed
Green operating equipment on or open
Yellow/Amber operating equipment fault

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Fire Fighters Smoke Control Panel

Designers often try to use fire alarm control
panel in lieu of smoke control panel
Typically does not meet indicator requirements
Make sure you confirm requirements with
the AHJ
Indicators only
Graphic panel

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Fire Fighters Smoke Control Panel

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stair Pressurization Equipment

Must be independent of other equipment
All equipment considered part of stair
enclosure
Must protect the same way

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stair Pressurization Equipment
3 options
Located exterior to building and directly
connected to stair enclosure or via ductwork
separated from building by 2-hour fire barriers
Located within the stair enclosure with intake or
exhaust through ductwork separated from
building by 2-hour fire barriers
Located within the building and completely
separated from the remainder of the building
by 2-hour fire barriers

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stair Pressurization Equipment

Stair pressurization equipment wholly
within the stair enclosure is not required
q to
be separated from the stair enclosure
Fire dampers are not required between
pressurization inlets and the stair

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stair Pressurization Equipment

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stair Pressurization Injection Points
Single Injection Multiple Injection
Pressurization air Pressurization air supplied to
supplied to stair stair enclosure at multiple
enclosure at one point vertically spaced inlets
Limitation on number of Need to accommodate shaft
in or adjacent to stair
stories that can be enclosure
served
Separation of inlets not
Recommended only codified
up 8 stories
Typically every 3 to 8
Up to 12 stories stories, depending on
possible designer

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stack Effect
Air movement in
building due to
building and exterior
temperature variations
Building air warmer
than outside air
(winter), upward
movement
Building air cooler
than outside air
(summer), downward
movement

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

Stack Effect
Difficult to design for regions with large
temperature variations (like Chicago)
Door opening forces/door closure
Can greatly impact stair pressurization
Barometric relief dampers (multiple?)

LESSONS LEARNED - COMMISSIONING

Duct Leakage Testing
IBC Requirements
Tested at 150% of Maximum Design Pressure
Limited to 5% of Design Flow
Generally test ducts that traverse multiple
smoke zones
Testing rarely anticipated or performed

LESSONS LEARNED - COMMISSIONING

Testing Protocol
Talk to the AHJ
Avoid confusion or test
surprises
Agree in advance on a test
plan
Assist or lead efforts to
set testing protocol
Dont be passive

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LESSONS LEARNED - COMMISSIONING

Cold or Hot Smoke
Tests
Limited value in
evaluating certain
system performance
Validity as method of
testing a smoke-control
system is questionable
NFPA 92A and 92B,
Annexes

REFERENCE MATERIALS
Principles of Smoke Management, by John
Klote and Jim Milke (ASHRAE Publication)
NFPA 92A, Standard for Smoke Control
Systems Utilizing Barriers and Pressure
Differences
NFPA 92B, Standard for Smoke Management
Systems in Malls, Atria, and Large Spaces
A Guide to Smoke Control in the 2006 IBC,
by Doug Evans and John Klote

Questions?

Joshua Greene, P.E.

Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc.
312-879-7200
j
jgreene@rjagroup.com
@j

rjainc.com
1-888-831-4RJA

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