CPD Training Course 2019-2020

CPD Training Course 2019-2020

Experience Sharing for

Staircase Pressurization System
 CPD Training Course 2019-2020

Unsatisfactory Performances in T&C

• Door opening force exceeds 100N
• Response time exceeds 5 second
• Under estimation for the airflow from stairwell to outside
• Under estimation for the air release from accommodation to outside
• Interaction between pressurized staircases
• Wind Effect and Stack Effect
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Door Opening Force

• According to FSD Circular Letter No. 2/2006:-
• According to BS 5588:4 1988:-
• When the variable supply fans or dampers are in steady • The max. pressure differential across a door opening into a
operational mode, close the fire zone door and measure pressurized space should be determined as a function of
the door opening force within 5 sec. The door opening the door configuration, using the following equation:
force should be limited to 100N all the time from 5 sec
after the fire zone door is closed.
2(100 − F dc)(W − d )
• From practical experience, door opening force within P=
100N is hard to achieve. AW
• In general, four components of force are acting on the Where

door:- P: is the pressure difference across the door (in Pa);

Fdc: is the force needed to be applied at the door handle to overcome the
• Force due to differential pressure inherent resistance of the door to opening without a pressure differential
• Force due to reaction force of door closer applied to the door, e.g. the door closer mechanism, etc. (in N); (If, at the
Depends on design stage, the force required to overcome the door closer is unknown,
• Force due to door hinge friction maximum pressure differential of 60 Pa may be utilized for design purposes.)
the door size
• Force due to accelerating the door W: is the door width (in m);
A: is the door area (in m2);
d: is the distance from the door knob to the knob side of the door (in m).
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Derivation of Formula
Door Opening with Acceleration,
i.e. ∑ Moment ≥ 0

F D −F D −F D
1 1 2 2 3 3
≥0
W
100(W − d ) − F dc (W − d ) − PA ⋅ ≥0
2
W
(100 − F dc)(W − d ) ≥ PA ⋅
2 Where;
PA ⋅ W F1: Door opening force
F dc ≤ 100 − 2(W − d ) F2: Fdc acting on the door handle to overcome the reaction force of door closer &
hinge friction
F3: Force due to differential pressure
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PA ⋅ W
Door Opening Force F dc ≤ 100 − 2(W − d )

In order to limit the door opening force within 100N, the door size shall be
carefully selected.

Door Height Door Hinge Friction Door Acceleration

Door Weight Door Closer Force
(2.4m/2.2m/2.1m?) Force

Recommendation:
Coordinate with architect to properly select door size and door closer.
(limit door height to 2.1m)
 CPD Training Course 2019-2020

Under Estimation of Airflow thru Opened Main Exit Door

• In accordance with the BS 5588:4 1988:- the egress
velocity is required to maintain a certain speed thru
the door at fire floor in order to prevent ingress of
smoke into the pressurized staircase.
• To achieve the required egress velocity, sufficient
differential pressure shall be maintained between
the stairwell and the accommodation area
equipped with static/ mechanical air release system.
• During the design, it is often assume the gauge
pressure in the accommodation as 0 Pa which is
never happen in actual situation.
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Under Estimation of Airflow thru Opened Main Exit Door

Recommendation:
Assume +5Pa for
mechanical air
release system,
+10Pa for static
air release
system

IDEAL CASE REAL CASE

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Interaction between Pressurized Staircases

• Interaction between pressurized staircases means the performance of
one pressurized staircase is being interacted by the other pressurized
staircase if they are serving the same fire floor.
• Project sharing:
• 4 pressurized staircases serving each floor
• During T&C in construction stage, all 4 systems achieve the min. flow
criterion
• After curtain wall sealed, lift landing finished, wall/floor opening back-filled
etc. , 2 systems flow criterion less than the min. requirement.
• After increasing the system fan capacity, all 4 systems below the min. egress
velocity.

• Notes during T&C:

1. If egress airflow is larger than the design value during unsealed building,
reduce is. Otherwise, the air release system will be overloaded.
2. If the air release system is overloaded, the effect of the interaction between
pressurized staircases become more significant and the system may not
perform properly.
3. In case 1, it should not be replaced by a larger fan after the sealed building
is sealed, which will overload the air release system. The correct action is to
investigate what additional resistance acting on the system after the
building is sealed.
4. Commission and record individual system performance under unsealed
building for fine tune the system setting after the sealed building.
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Under estimation for the air release from Barometric Damper

accommodation to outside
• Design Philosophy
• The airflow rate of the “Mechanical Air Release System”
shall be designed to cater the amount of air as per “Airflow
Criterion”.
• Therefore, the exhaust airflow should vary to smaller
amount during the “Pressure Difference Criterion”.
• Problem Identification
• In case the mechanical air release system is not responsive
within 5 seconds to reduce the air release flow, negative
residual pressure in the accommodation will increase the
differential pressure across the stair door in fire floor and
result in opening force exceeding 100N.
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Wind Effect and Stack Effect

• Wind Effect
It is a natural effect cannot be avoided, but the following
measures can be considered to minimize their influence.
• The orientation of intake louvre shall be the same as
the main exit of the pressurized staircase
• To install a windscreen in front of the main exit on
refuge floor, especial for super highrise building
• Stack Effect
Stack effect caused by the temperature difference between
vertical shaft, like stairwell, and the adjacent area. Stack
effect is driven by a buoyant force due to warmer air rise in
the vertical shaft.
• Stack effect cannot be avoided but it can minimize
during T&C by purging the stairwell to reduce the
temperature difference between stairwell and
external air.
• In BS 5588: Part 4: 1998- annex G stated that stack
effect may be minimized by operating the
pressurization system for a period of 1 hr before
testing so that the external air and shaft
temperature can be equalize.
 CPD Training Course 2019-2020

Thank You