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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• 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 movementinhibit 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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• Early Prescriptive Requirements (up to early 1990’s) – Air Changes

Operable Windows

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

– 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

A ti M th d– Active Methods• Pressurization Method• Exhaust Method• Airflow Method

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

• Passive Barriers– Uses Smoke Barriers to

contain smoke (smoke compartments)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: ContainmentSmoke 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

Fire SideLower Pressure

Non-Fire SideHigher 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

th dmethod– 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 compartmentmovement from the fire compartment

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SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

• Exhaust Method– Method most associated with smoke control– Method must be approved by AHJMethod 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 free of smoke as well as to premove 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 top of the spacep 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 to the space used for occupant p p pegress

• 2000 and 2003 IBC: smoke level at 10 ft• 2006 and 2009 IBC: smoke level at 6 ft

SMOKE CONTROL FUNDAMENTALSmout

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– 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 2

• 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 fi ticonfiguration

• 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• 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 not enough is provided and high• 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 detectorsSpot 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/S t i bl D i ti ht t ti• LEED/Sustainable Design – tighter construction

– 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 Fighter’s Smoke Control Panel– Install in approved location– Manual controls for mechanical smoke

controlcontrol– 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 Fighter’s Smoke Control Panel– Status indicators

• White – operating equipment normal status• Red operating equipment off or closed• Red – operating equipment off or closed• Green – operating equipment on or open• Yellow/Amber – operating equipment fault

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

• Fire Fighter’s 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 Fighter’s Smoke Control Panel

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LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

• Stair Pressurization Equipment– Must be independent of other equipment– All equipment considered part of stairAll 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 to qbe 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

• Pressurization air supplied to stair enclosure at one point

– Multiple Injection– Pressurization air supplied to

stair enclosure at multiple vertically spaced inletsenclosure at one point

• Limitation on number of stories that can be served

– Recommended only up 8 stories

– Up to 12 stories possible

– Need to accommodate shaft in or adjacent to stair enclosure

– Separation of inlets not codified

• Typically every 3 to 8 stories, depending on designer

LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

• Stack Effect– Air movement in

building due to building and exterior temperature variationstemperature 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– 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• 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 surprisessurprises

• Agree in advance on a test plan

– Assist or lead efforts to set testing protocol

• Don’t be passive

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LESSONS LEARNED - COMMISSIONING

• Cold or Hot “Smoke Tests– Limited value in

evaluating certainevaluating 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.

312-879-7200j @ jjgreene@rjagroup.com

rjainc.com1-888-831-4RJA