Smoke protection system and method for keeping a safety space free of smoke

Abstract

The invention relates to a smoke control system for a building which has one or more fire compartments (1) and at least one safety room (2) connected to the fire compartments (1) or anterooms (3) via one or more doors (4), wherein the safety room (2) can be pressurized in the event of a fire, and wherein at least one overflow opening (7) is provided in the area of ​​each door (4) connecting the safety room (2) to the fire compartment (1) or anteroom (3). The system is characterized in that at least one measuring device (8) is arranged in or on the overflow opening (7) with which pressure changes in the overflow opening (7) caused by opening and / or closing the door (4) can be detected.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a smoke control system for a building which has one or more fire rooms and at least one safety room connected to the fire rooms via one or more doors (e.g. a stairwell as an escape route), wherein the safety room can be pressurized in case of fire, wherein at least one (preferably permanently open) overflow opening is provided in the area of ​​the door or doors (e.g. above the doors) which connects the safety room with the fire room.

[0002] In the context of the invention, "building" refers in particular to a building with several floors connected by one or more stairwells. The stairwells and any adjoining corridors constitute escape routes and thus a safety area or areas that must be kept absolutely free of smoke in the event of a fire. The stairwell is connected directly or, for example, indirectly via a vestibule, to potential fire compartments (units of use) within the building, which may include, for example, residential units, offices, or hotel rooms.

[0003] The smoke control system is preferably designed as a differential pressure smoke control system, whereby a predetermined overpressure is generated in the safety room (e.g., in a stairwell) serving as an escape route in the event of a fire. To achieve this, the safety room is pressurized in the event of a fire, for example, by a supply air system, such as its supply air fan, thus ensuring that the escape route remains free of smoke. For safety reasons, the overpressure required to maintain the smoke-free status must not exceed a permissible maximum value (e.g., 50 Pa, based on the largest door on the escape route) so that the doors opening into the safety room can be opened quickly and easily even in the event of a fire.

[0004] This so-called "pressure criterion" can be set by suitable control or regulation, e.g., by a so-called control damper device, which has at least one spring-loaded pressure control damper (e.g., at the shaft head of the overpressure area) that opens automatically when a predetermined limit overpressure or control pressure is exceeded and closes automatically when the limit overpressure or control pressure falls below this limit. Such differential pressure systems or control damper devices, which are specifically designed to comply with the "pressure criterion," are described, for example, in EP 1 785 201 A2. Alternatively, pressure measuring devices are also used within smoke control systems or differential pressure systems. These devices monitor both the pressure in the safety compartment and the pressure in the fire compartment or an anteroom or corridor upstream of the fire compartment, so that the differential pressure system, e.g.,The supply air system can be controlled or regulated depending on the measured pressures.

[0005] While the described pressure criterion must be met for safety reasons when doors are closed, the so-called "velocity criterion" must be met when a door is opened, or when a door between the safety room and an adjacent fire compartment or an anteroom is open. This requires compliance with the maximum door opening force required by building regulations. This is intended to ensure that, when the door is open, the air velocity from the safety room towards the fire compartment reaches or exceeds a certain minimum value in the resulting doorway, e.g., a minimum value of 0.75 m / s or even 2 m / s, depending on the required protection objective or the fire or firefighting situation. For this purpose, the supply air fan is controlled, for example, based on the measured pressure conditions, by increasing the supply air fan's flow rate when the door is open to achieve the desired or higher velocity.The required air velocity within the doorway must be ensured. To meet this velocity criterion, pressure sensors are used in practice, for example, both in the safety room and in the room on the opposite side of the door, such as a fire compartment or an escape room or corridor leading to the fire compartment. In this case, the supply air fan is controlled based on the measured pressures to ensure the correct air velocity flowing through the door. A disadvantage of such systems, which control the air velocity based on the pressure conditions in the rooms, is their relatively slow response time. The pressure measuring devices in the fire compartment and the escape room typically react with a certain time delay, especially if the door is initially opened slowly or only slightly.The same applies when the door subsequently closes again, so that in such systems, where the supply air fan is controlled depending on the pressure conditions in the rooms, the doors often close loudly and noisily.

[0006] To overcome the problems associated with smoke control systems that rely on pressure measurements in the rooms, WO 2013 / 001301 A2 proposes controlling the supply air flow to the safety room or escape room not based on pressure conditions or pressure measurements, but rather on the position of the door. This is achieved by equipping the door between the escape room and the fire compartment with a door position sensor. In this case, the supply air flow can be controlled based on the signal from the door position sensor. Compared to conventional systems based on pressure measurements, this approach has the advantage of allowing for a rapid response even with a small degree of door opening, before the pressure conditions in the adjacent rooms change significantly enough to be detected by conventional pressure measuring devices. However, this requires the installation of door position sensors in potentially numerous doors.This is relatively complex and can also be prone to errors, especially since there is a risk of manipulation or damage to the door position sensors.

[0007] Other embodiments of smoke control systems are known, for example, from DE 10 2018 126 010 A1, DE 10 2011 001 261 A1 and DE 10 2005 053 590 B4.

[0008] A differential pressure system is also described in DE 198 41 540 B4. This addresses the problem of ensuring that not only a safety room, e.g., a stairwell, but also a safety airlock located adjacent to the first door, is adequately supplied with fresh air. It is proposed that an overflow opening be provided adjacent to the first door of each safety airlock, connecting the safety room to the airlock via a fluid path. Consequently, the supply air system with the fan can not only supply the escape route, but also the safety airlock via the overflow opening.

[0009] EP 3 078 918 B1 describes a hybrid smoke control differential pressure system and a method for maintaining overpressure. To achieve a minimum pressure differential to a fire zone adjacent to the protected area, while simultaneously ensuring that a maximum pressure differential is not exceeded, the system comprises a supply air fan to generate a supply air volume flow into the protected area, and a pressure control damper located between the protected area and an external environment. This damper opens without auxiliary power at a preset overpressure to prevent the maximum pressure differential from being exceeded. The supply air fan is designed to interact with a supply air frequency converter to adjust the generated supply air volume flow.Furthermore, a protection zone measuring device is provided for determining the operating conditions of the smoke control differential pressure system. This device also includes a control unit that, based on the signals from the protection zone measuring device, controls the supply air frequency converter in such a way that the supply air flow results in a pressure differential that is above the minimum pressure differential. The protection zone measuring device can include one or more door contacts to determine the operating status of the smoke control differential pressure system, with which the opening and closing of doors between the protection zone and the outside can be detected. The device can also include a pressure sensor with which the pressure within the protection zone can be detected.

[0010] Based on the prior art, the invention aims to create a smoke control system that is characterized by high functional and operational reliability while being simple and economical in design.

[0011] To solve this problem, the invention teaches, in a generic smoke control system, that at least one measuring device is arranged in or on the overflow opening with which the pressure changes in the overflow opening caused by opening and / or closing the door can be detected.

[0012] The invention is based on the understanding that the problems of smoke control systems that rely on pressure measurements in rooms can be overcome in a simple and reliable manner by monitoring and evaluating the flow or pressure conditions in the existing overflow openings in the door area, e.g., above the doors. While the pressure differences between adjacent rooms, which are crucial for conventional systems, typically develop with a significant time delay when a door is opened, the flow or pressure conditions within the overflow opening in the door area react very quickly. This allows the system to provide very early detection of the door opening and / or closing process. Consequently, the control of the supply and / or exhaust airflow can react very rapidly to the door opening or closing process.The small pressure differences that arise when the door is opened or closed can be determined quickly and reliably, since even small pressure differences between the rooms lead to measurable airflows within the transfer opening, which are detected and preferably evaluated by the system according to the invention. The system according to the invention thus enables a significantly faster adjustment of the supply and / or exhaust airflows and therefore reliable compliance with the required velocity criterion than conventional systems that react to the measurement of pressure differences between the adjacent rooms. Compared to other known systems that use door position sensors, the system according to the invention has the considerable advantage that it eliminates the need for door position sensors, which can be prone to errors and manipulation.

[0013] The system according to the invention therefore achieves the same functional advantages as systems with door position sensors, but without the need for door position sensors or even determining the door position. The system according to the invention allows the movement of the door or the door position to be anticipated solely by monitoring pressure changes or flow changes within the overflow opening. Within the scope of the invention, the term "pressure change" also includes changes in dynamic pressure.

[0014] The system according to the invention offers particular advantages, especially during the door closing process. Conventional systems using pressure measurements are inadequate for reacting to the closing action of the door. This means that, in conventional systems, the supply air fan, which starts up after the door is opened, is only switched off again once the door is completely closed, as the pressure differences in the room are only detected at that point. In the prior art, this often results in doors slamming shut quickly and loudly, thus posing a risk of injury. According to the invention, by monitoring the flow conditions in the overflow opening, it is possible to detect that the door is closing even during the closing process, allowing the supply air fan to be switched off before the door is completely closed. Similar advantages can be achieved during the opening process.

[0015] Of particular importance according to the invention is therefore the determination of pressure changes in the overflow opening caused by opening and closing the door. For this purpose, it is advantageous to use a measuring device that has at least two pressure measuring points arranged in or on the overflow opening and spaced apart along the flow opening (i.e., along the flow direction). These measuring points, for example, using an evaluation unit, determine the pressure difference caused by an airflow through the flow opening. With (at least) two pressure measuring points, arranged one behind the other in the overflow opening along the flow direction, pressure changes within the overflow opening can be detected very quickly. These pressure changes arise, as described, from the opening and closing process of the associated door.Depending on the pressure changes in the overflow opening, the supply air flow and / or the exhaust air flow can be controlled or regulated according to the invention, and thus the required velocity criterion can be reliably met using simple means.

[0016] In addition to the components already described, the smoke control system according to the invention can, in particular, include a controllable supply air fan, which can be controlled or regulated, for example, by means of a frequency converter; that is, the supply air volume flow can be adjusted by speed control or regulation of the supply air fan. This allows the safety room to be supplied with supply air to the desired extent. Alternatively or additionally, the system can also include a controllable exhaust air fan with which exhaust air can be extracted from the fire compartment or an adjacent room.

[0017] The smoke control system can also include a control unit, which can also be designed as a control and / or regulating device. This control and / or regulating device allows the supply air flow (or alternatively, the exhaust air flow) to be controlled or regulated. According to the invention, the supply air flow and / or the exhaust air flow are controlled or controllable depending on the pressure change detected within the transfer opening by the measuring device. The supply air flow is preferably controlled or regulated by controlling (e.g., the speed) of the supply air fan. Alternatively, an exhaust air flow can be controlled or regulated by controlling (the speed) of an exhaust air fan.

[0018] The primary focus is on compliance with the so-called velocity criterion, which is relevant from a safety perspective and is generally mandated by applicable regulations. Based on this, the supply and / or exhaust airflow is designed to be controllable or regulated in response to pressure changes, ensuring that the air velocity through the open door reaches or exceeds a predetermined minimum value (e.g., stored in the control system). This minimum value may be the minimum value prescribed by relevant regulations, such as 0.75 m / s or 2 m / s.

[0019] Of particular importance according to the invention is that an overflow opening is provided in the area of ​​the door, e.g., above the door. This overflow opening is preferably permanently open and designed without adjustable closing elements. It is preferably a simple opening or penetration in the wall above the door or, alternatively, in another area next to the door. The overflow opening can thus form a bypass that ensures a constant airflow and, if necessary, the legally required purging of the vestibules of the areas to be protected. Such overflow openings may already be provided in conventional smoke control systems. According to the invention, the described measuring device is arranged in or on the overflow opening and, e.g., integrated into the overflow opening. The overflow opening can be a conventional passage with a cross-section of at least 100 cm², e.g.,must be at least 200 cm².

[0020] Alternatively and additionally, the overflow opening (e.g., a round overflow opening with a round cross-section) can have a diameter of at least 100 mm, e.g., at least 150 mm, preferably 200 mm or more. It can be, for example, a conventional through-pipe with a diameter of DN 150 or DN 200 or more. Alternatively, the term "overflow opening" also includes openings into which closing elements are integrated, e.g., a fire damper or a fire damper with a cold smoke barrier.

[0021] The invention relates not only to the described smoke control system, which can be designed as a differential pressure system and preferably as a pressurization system, but also to a method for keeping a safety room of a building equipped with such a smoke control system free of smoke. The method is characterized in that pressure changes in the overflow opening are detected by a measuring device arranged in or on the overflow opening, wherein such pressure changes are caused by opening and / or closing the door. For details of the individual method features and process steps, reference is made to the claims and to the explanatory notes on the smoke control system according to the invention.Overall, a smoke control system, for example a pressurization system, is provided in which the measuring device essential to the invention, located in the area of ​​the overflow opening, provides very early insights into the opening and / or closing process of the door. The control of the supply air system and / or the exhaust air system, and consequently the control of the supply air flow and / or exhaust air flow, can be carried out with minimal time delay, since small pressure differences that arise even during the opening or closing of the door are measured by monitoring the pressure or flow conditions within the overflow opening.

[0022] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, which merely illustrate one exemplary embodiment. They show Figure 1 A smoke control system in a multi-story building, shown in a schematic view with the doors closed. Figure 2the smoke control system after Figure 1 with open doors between an escape room and a fire room and Figure 3 an excerpt from the plant according to the invention Figure 1 and 2 .

[0023] In Figure 1The diagram schematically simplifies a multi-story building with a smoke control system according to the invention. The building has multiple floors with several potential fire compartments 1 and a safety room 2 as an escape route, where, in this exemplary embodiment, the safety room 2 forms a stairwell or stairwell. The fire compartments 1 or the anterooms 3 preceding the fire compartments (e.g., corridors) are connected to the safety room 2, and thus the escape route, via doors 4. The system includes a supply air system 5 with a supply air fan 6, which can pressurize the safety room 2 with an overpressure ΔP+ in the event of a fire. The system is designed and / or dimensioned such that the overpressure in the escape route does not exceed a predetermined maximum pressure of, for example, 50 Pa. Suitable control devices from the prior art can be implemented for this purpose, or sufficiently large exhaust cross-sections can simply be provided.In any case, this ensures compliance with the so-called "pressure criterion," taking into account the maximum door opening force of 100 N on all floors with closed doors or open doors to the fire floor. This shows... Figure 1 a situation in case of fire in a fire compartment 1 with closed doors, so that in the Figure 1 In the situation described, compliance with the pressure criterion is paramount.

[0024] Furthermore, the system according to the invention is designed in such a way that the also prescribed "speed criterion" is met. This is intended to ensure that when one or more doors 4 between the safety room 2 and the fire compartment 1 or an anteroom 3 are opened, a minimum air velocity v of, for example, 0.75 m / s or 2 m / s is set and maintained. This is to be determined by means of the Figure 2This section explains a situation that occurs in the event of a fire in fire compartment 1 with the doors between escape route 2 and fire compartment 1 open. According to the invention, compliance with the speed criterion is achieved without requiring pressure measurements in the adjacent rooms. This is because, according to the invention, at least one overflow opening 7 is provided in the area of ​​the doors 4 (between safety compartment 2 and anteroom 3). This overflow opening connects safety compartment 2 with anteroom 3 and supplies the anterooms of the safety compartment with fresh air, thus ensuring ventilation of the anterooms. A measuring device 8 is arranged in or on the overflow opening 7 to detect pressure changes in the overflow opening 7 caused by opening and / or closing the door 4. Further details are provided in [reference to be added]. Figure 3 referred.

[0025] In Figure 3It is evident that a measuring device 8 is integrated into the overflow opening 7, which in the exemplary embodiment is located in a wall 10 above the door 4. This device is used to determine pressure changes or airflows within the overflow opening 7. For this purpose, the measuring device 8 in the exemplary embodiment has two pressure measuring points 9, which are spaced apart from each other along the overflow opening and consequently in the direction of flow R, and thus arranged one behind the other. These pressure measuring points 9 enable the measurement of pressure differences within the overflow opening 7 that arise from an airflow through the opening 7.This airflow through the flow opening 7 is in turn caused and influenced by the opening and / or closing of the door 4 located below it, so that the measuring device 8 according to the invention obtains information related to the opening or closing process of the door 4. The measuring device 8 therefore preferably has not only the two pressure measuring points 9, but also an evaluation unit (not shown) with which the generated airflow in the flow opening 7 is detected. This makes it possible to control or regulate the supply air flow Z (or alternatively the exhaust air flow) depending on the pressure change in the flow opening 7 determined by the measuring device 8. A control device or regulating device (not shown) is provided, which communicates on the one hand with the pressure measuring device 8 or its evaluation unit and on the other hand with the supply air system 5, e.g.The supply air fan 6 is connected so that the supply air flow Z is controlled or regulated depending on the pressure conditions within the flow opening 7, specifically by controlling the supply air fan 6, e.g., by speed control. This allows the supply air flow Z (or alternatively the exhaust air flow) to be controlled or regulated depending on the pressure changes, ensuring that the air velocity v (in the open door) reaches or exceeds the minimum values ​​specified, e.g., by regulations (0.75 m / s or 2 m / s). It is evident that, according to the invention, pressure changes resulting from opening or closing the door 4 can be detected very quickly and therefore without delay by monitoring the conditions within the flow opening 7, and a response can be triggered accordingly.Even small pressure differences that occur during the opening or closing of door 4 lead to measurable pressure differences within the flow opening 7.

[0026] In the exemplary embodiment, the flow opening 7 is arranged above the door 4 (between safety compartment 2 and anteroom 3, or alternatively between safety compartment 2 and fire compartment 1). It forms a bypass and is permanently open. It is therefore a simple opening or penetration that can be designed without closing elements or flaps. Consequently, the focus is not on the possibility of opening or closing such a flow opening 7, but solely on determining the pressure or flow conditions in the permanently open flow opening 7. Alternatively, the invention also includes embodiments in which a closing element is arranged in the flow opening 7, e.g., in the case of a fire damper with a cold smoke barrier. This is not shown in the figures.

[0027] In the illustrated arrangement with anterooms 3 between the safety room 2 and the (potential) fire compartments 1 or the usage units, the overflow openings 7 (with the pressure measuring points) are only provided in the area of ​​the doors between safety room 2 and anteroom 3 and not in the area of ​​the doors between anteroom 3 and fire compartment 1. If fire compartments without anterooms directly adjoin a safety room, the overflow openings (with the pressure measuring points) are provided in the area of ​​the doors between the safety room and the fire compartment.

[0028] Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the system is optionally equipped with an exhaust air duct or smoke extraction duct, to which an exhaust air system A with an exhaust air fan is connected.

[0029] The present invention, as described, primarily concerns compliance with the "speed criterion." In practice, the pressure criterion must also be met, so the system is equipped with corresponding components and functions; details are not shown in the figures. Known measures can be used, such as control valves, pressure regulating devices, discharge openings, etc.

[0030] Overall, the invention allows all building code requirements to be met, i.e., the speed criterion including the required response time of the smoke and heat exhaust ventilation system with a limitation of the door opening forces to, for example, 100 N.

Claims

1. Smoke control system for a building which has one or more fire compartments (1) and at least one safety room (2) connected to the fire compartments (1) via one or more doors (4), wherein the safety room (2) can be pressurized in the event of a fire, wherein at least one overflow opening (7) is provided in the area of ​​the doors (4) which connects the safety room (2) to the fire compartment (1) or an anteroom (2) preceding the fire compartment, characterized by the fact that at least one measuring device (8) is arranged in or on the overflow opening (7) with which pressure changes in the overflow opening (7) caused by opening and / or closing the door (4) can be detected.

2. Smoke control system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe measuring device (8) has at least two pressure measuring points (9) arranged in or on the overflow opening (7) and spaced apart along the overflow opening, with which, e.g. by means of an evaluation unit, a pressure difference caused by an airflow through the flow opening (7) can be measured.

3. Smoke control system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising at least one supply air system (5), e.g. with a controllable supply air fan (6), with which the safety room can be supplied with supply air and / or with an exhaust air system, e.g. with an exhaust air fan.

4. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 3, with a control device with which the supply air flow (Z) and / or the exhaust air flow can be controlled, characterized by the fact that The supply air flow (Z) and / or the exhaust air flow can be controlled or is controlled depending on the pressure change in the overflow opening (7) determined by the measuring device (9).

5. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact The supply air flow (Z) can be controlled or regulated by controlling the supply air fan (6). and / or the exhaust air flow can be controlled or regulated by controlling the exhaust air fan.

6. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that The supply air flow (Z) and / or the exhaust air flow can be controlled or regulated depending on the pressure change, provided that the air velocity (v) through the open door (4) reaches or exceeds a predetermined minimum value, e.g. 0.75 m / s or 2 m / s.

7. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that The overflow opening (7) is designed as a bypass permanently open without an adjustable closing element.

8. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact that the overflow opening (7) is located above the door (4), e.g. in a wall.

9. Smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact that the overflow opening (7) has a cross-section of at least 100 cm² 2 e.g. at least 200 cm 2 and / or has a diameter of at least 100 mm, e.g. at least 150 mm, preferably 200 mm or more.

10. Method for keeping a safety room (2) of a building free of smoke, with a smoke control system according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that Pressure changes in the overflow opening (7) caused by opening and / or closing the door (4) are detected by a measuring device (8) arranged in or on the overflow opening (7).

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized by the fact thata measuring device (8) with at least two pressure measuring points (9) arranged in or on the overflow opening and spaced apart along the overflow opening is used, with which, for example, a pressure difference caused by an airflow through the overflow opening (7) is determined by means of an evaluation unit.

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by and that the supply air flow and / or the exhaust air flow is controlled by a control device depending on the pressure change in the overflow opening (7) determined by the measuring device (8), preferably by control, e.g. by speed control of the supply air fan (6).

13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by the fact thatThe supply air flow (Z) and / or the exhaust air flow is controlled or regulated depending on the pressure change with the stipulation that the air velocity (v) through the open door reaches or exceeds a predetermined minimum value, e.g. a minimum value of 0.75 m / s or two m / s.

Images