Smoke is the real threat when a fire breaks out
In case of fire, not the flames, but the smoke and hot gases represent the biggest threat for people. The smoke forms a non transparent screen, which can disorientate people completely. The high temperature can burn the lungs' alveoli within seconds, thus making it impossible for the human body to absorb any oxygen. As such the victims will suffocate even before they burn.
Therefore, next to active fire safety measures, it is necessary to evacuate smoke, in order to guarantee the safe evacuation of people.
Smoke evacuation increases the evacuation comfort
Smoke evacuation has the aim to remove smoke and heat in case of fire. This creates a smoke-free zone and clear sight so the people can leave a building or a specific room safely.
 |
Smoke evacuation is based on thermal, where hot smoke and combustion gases rise at the hearth and are evacuated via the roof, while at a lower level (below the smoke layer) fresh air is supplied.
The evacuation of smoke lowers the temperature at the hearth, thus remarkably postponing the ‘Flash-over’ moment, i.e. the moment in which the breakout of a fire changes into a fully developed fire.
|
Natural or mechanical smoke evacuation
Natural smoke evacuation happens mostly through window and door openings and through elevator shafts which is an official safety regulation. In case of fire in a building, the use of an elevator shaft as smoke evacuation duct (evacuation of the toxic gases) is often the only possibility to prevent the smoke from spreading to other levels via the shaft.
Mechanical smoke evacuation is mostly applied in case of enclosed spaces and basements in buildings, where smoke can not immediately be evacuated. In these situations smoke evacuation happens through extraction shafts where extraction vents lead the smoke through the shaft. The extraction shaft cannot negatively influence the fire resistance of the compartment walls they cross. For this reason smoke evacuation dampers are installed at these crossings.
Rf-Technologies offers smoke evacuation dampers and shutters as solution to smoke evacuation.