COLT VENTILATION SYSTEMS FOR CAR PARKS AND SERVICE AREAS
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Smoke Control Colt ventilation systems for car parks and service areas

Front Cover: Golden Square Shopping Centre,Warrington VENTILATION SYSTEMS FOR CAR PARKS AND SERVICE AREAS Ventilation systems for car parks and service areas are required to achieve two objectives. Firstly, when the car park or service area is in general use, it is important that the exhaust gases produced by vehicles are effectively removed and that there are no pockets of stagnant air. Secondly, in the event of a fire, assistance needs to be given to the Fire Service to clear smoke from the car park during and after the fire. LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS The ventilation requirements for car...

East Side Plaza, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth 8 Cyclone induction fans and 3 Jetstream impulse fans move the air from the entrance ramp towards the extract system, which was also supplied by Colt. MECHANICALLY VENTILATED CAR PARKS 3. Mechanically Ventilated Car Parks Where natural ventilation is not possible, such as where the car park is in a basement or fully enclosed, a mechanical extract system should be used. For mechanically ventilated car parks, the basic requirements are that there should be a mechanical ventilation system that will provide 6 air changes per hour (ACH) for general...

THE DESIGN APPROACHES There are 2 approaches described in BS7346-7. Smoke Clearance Such systems are not intended to assist means of escape in case of fire, but to assist fire fighters by providing smoke clearance. Even a casual inspection of the requirements shows that these methods cannot be expected to do more than limit smoke density and speed smoke clearance once the fire is extinguished. Where impulse fans are used, they are located over the roadways in a layout engineered to ensure there are no areas where it would be possible for fumes to build up due to lack of air movement. In...

The Observatory Apartments, Walsall Red on the scale represents air speeds of 3m/s and above, dark blue represents 0m/s. A 3D isometric view of the car park. A high level slice showing air speed contours just below the cyclone fans. A low level slice showing air speed contours just above floor level. The CFD images are part of an animation sequence. CFD modelling can assist to ensure that the direction and flow rate of the air is effectively controlled by the fans over the complete car park to provide the most effective removal of fumes and smoke. The image shows the velocity vectors...

TESTING UNDERTAKEN BY COLT In 2004 Colt conducted the first UK full scale comparative tests between traditional methods of mechanical ventilation and impulse ventilation in Bristol. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Avon Fire & Rescue, Jerry O’Brien commented These tests demonstrated that properly designed impulse systems can clear the smoke more quickly than ducted systems. For more information please see leaflet: PD 56 “Full Scale ‘live’ Smoke Tests”. A video is available to view at www.coltinfo.co.uk. SYSTEM Traditional Rear wall details “The speed that the new products cleared the smoke...

Plan of test rig In 2005 Colt carried out large scale hot smoke testing with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in Middlesbrough to prove both the concept of maintaining clear areas in a car park and to validate the CFD modelling approach used by Colt. The results of the tests clearly indicated that impulse systems are capable of controlling the spread of smoke from a car fire and keeping significant areas of a car park effectively smoke free. BRE confirmed that the smoke movement during the fire with the impulse fans running was as predicted by the CFD modelling Colt had carried out...

Impulse Ventilation Systems WHAT ARE IMPULSE VENTILATION SYSTEMS? FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF IMPULSE SYSTEMS In recent years jet fan or impulse technology has established itself as the new standard in car park ventilation. Impulse ventilation systems are an alternative to ducted mechanical extract systems, overcoming many of the problems associated with such systems. Easier and quicker installation - Impulse fans are much quicker and easier to install than extensive ducting I There were 3,096 fires reported in car parks I Of these 1,592 fires started in vehicles I Most fires in car parks do...

Becad Hospital, Middlesex By re-assessing the design, Colt was able to reduce a competitor's 35 impulse fans to 12 Cyclone induction fans. Fans add momentum to both the airflow and smoke flow Tunnel entrance, fresh air inlet vehicle stopped vehicle stopped vehicles will continue driving to the exit The principles of car park impulse ventilation have been developed from procedures used for tunnel ventilation. In the event of a fire, smoke will be ‘pushed’ and ‘pulled’ to the exit. Vehicles in front of the fire will continue through to the exit, whilst vehicles behind the fire will, of...

CASE HISTORY The Postbox, Birmingham CLIENT: Cala Homes ARCHITECT: Ian Darby Partnership MAIN CONTRACTOR: Taylor Woodrow M&E CONTRACTOR: Rotary North West The Postbox, Upper Marshall St, is a large mixed use development comprising apartments and office space in Central Birmingham spread over three blocks. Colt provided smoke control systems for the apartment corridors and underground car park. On each of the two levels of the car park, four Colt Cyclone induction fans move the air from the entrance ramp towards the extract system, which has also been supplied by Colt.The Colt extract system...

CASE HISTORY Arsenal ARCHITECT: HOK Sport MAIN CONTRACTOR: Sir Robert McAlpine SERVICES CONSULTANT: Buro Happold A Colt impulse ventilation system has been installed at the new Emirates Stadium, constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd for Arsenal Football Club, in north London. Colt also supplied plant room louvres in a contract worth £1.2 million in total. The Colt impulse system consists of 59 reversible Jetstream fans, four 1800mm extract fans, and all their associated carbon dioxide, smoke and heat detectors and controls.The fans are mounted under the ceiling around the car park, to move...