Evaluating Positive Pressure Ventilation In Large Structures: High-Rise Pressure Experiments.
Evaluating Positive Pressure Ventilation In Large
Structures: High-Rise Pressure Experiments.
(2360 K)
Kerber, S.; Madrzykowski, D.; Stroup, D. W.
NISTIR 7412; 73 p. March 2007.
Sponsor:
Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Keywords:
high rise buildings; ventilation; structures;
experiments; office buildings; fire departments; fans;
stairwells; pressurization; doors; vents; roofs;
pressure; air temperature; carbon monoxide; noise
(sound); effectiveness; fire fighters; survival;
occupants; smoke; smoke control; weather effects;
uncertainty
Abstract:
One hundred and sixty experiments were conducted in a
thirty-story vacant office building in Toledo, Ohio to
evaluate the ability of fire department positive
pressure ventilation (PPV) fans to pressurize a
stairwell in a high-rise structure in accordance with
established performance metrics for fixed stairwell
pressurization systems. Variables such as fan size, fan
angle, setback distance, number of fans, orientation of
fans, number of doors open and location of vents open
were varied to examine capability and optimization of
each. Fan size varied from 0.4 m (16 in) to 1.2 m (46
in). Fan angle ranged from 90DG to 80DG. The setback
distance went from 0.6 m (2 ft) to 3.6 m (12 ft). One
fan to as many as nine fans were used which were located
at three different exterior locations and three
different interior locations. Fans were oriented both in
series and in parallel configurations. Doors throughout
the building were opened and closed to evaluate the
effects. Finally a door to the roof and a roof hatch
were used as vent points. The measurements taken during
the experiments included differential pressure, air
temperature, carbon monoxide, metrological data and
sound levels. PPV fans utilized correctly can increase
the effectiveness of fire fighters and survivability of
occupants in high-rise buildings. In a high-rise
building it is possible to increase the pressure of a
stairwell to prevent the infiltration of smoke if fire
crews configure the fans properly. Although many factors
contribute and need to be considered for effective PPV
operations, properly configured PPV can achieve
stairwell pressures that are high enough to meet or
exceed the performance metrics for fixed smoke control
systems.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899