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Chapter 1: Fire geometry and smoke movement in buildings
or no downward radiation. Atriums and large spaces
cannot easily restrict the movement of smoke using
barriers or overcoming fire pressures. Common atrium or
large space areas using smoke management systems
include shopping malls, convention centers, airport
terminals, sports arenas, and warehouses.
For large spaces, smoke management consists of
exhausting smoke from the space. Exhausting smoke
tends to restrict smoke spread to a plume above the fire
and a smoke layer just below the ceiling of the space.
The exhaust approach creates a lower level "smoke-
free" layer that allows occupants to safely egress and for
firefighters to see and attack the seat of a fire more
readily. Providing smoke management for large spaces
is a unique challenge for two reasons.
First, without any barriers in the interior, extensive
smoke propagation occurs readily throughout the entire
space. Consequently, a significant number of people in
the space may be exposed to the smoke. Further, a
substantial portion of the space can become
contaminated by the smoke, resulting in significant
property damage.
Second, large unprotected openings between the atrium
and adjacent spaces can result in fire and smoke
movement into the atrium due to a fire outside the
atrium. Adjacent spaces, such as stores in a shopping
mall, are called communicating spaces and may open
directly to the atrium or may connect through a corridor
or another open passageway. In the last several years
code limitations on the number of levels with
communicating spaces open to an atrium have been
changed to allow all levels in an atrium to have open
communicating spaces. Required airflow for smoke
venting in an atrium or large space must consider the
effect of communicating space fires.
How a large space functions, location of egress routes,
and the development of hazardous conditions from
expected fire scenarios demands a tailoring of smoke
management systems for each application. However, the
technical fundamentals of smoke production and spread
are the same for all of these spaces. A shopping mall
smoke management design will focus on assuring
egress paths are available, while a warehouse smoke
management design will focus on the stored materials.
Parameters that may have an impact on the design of a
smoke management system in a large space include:
18
•
Ceiling height
•
Fuel load
•
Use of the space
•
Separation of communicating spaces from the
protected space
Smoke control system
components
Controls
The smoke control system must fully coordinate smoke
control system functions between the:
•
VM-1 fire alarm system
•
Automatic sprinkler system
•
Firefighter smoke control station (FSCS)
•
Systems related HVAC energy management
•
Building smoke control equipment
Operation of the smoke control system either as a
component of the VM-1 fire alarm system or as a stand-
alone VM-1 smoke control system panel from a
centralized location will be the most common
applications.
Fire department suppression mobilization for large
buildings may be from a loading dock in a high-rise
building or at the main entrance of large buildings. An
FSCS at the point of fire department mobilization or near
the exterior of the building will often be required by
codes or standards in addition to the VM-1 smoke
control system.
Building main control/security center
Larger, more complex buildings and office or educational
campuses contain centralized energy management and
security centers. These control points for building
systems or access may be located off the main lobby of
a high-rise, in the center of a large building, or
freestanding on a campus. The location and monitoring
of the fire alarm control panel from these points is both
practical and common. Installation of the VM-1 smoke
control system in one of these centers is logical.
VM-1 Smoke Management Application Guide
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