Experimental fire tower studies of elevator pressurization systems for smoke control

Tests were conducted in the experimental fire tower at the National Research Council of Canada to study smoke movement through elevator shafts caused by a large fire and to determine the effectiveness of mechanical pressurization in keeping the elevator shaft and lobbies tenable for evacuation of the handicapped and for use by firefighters. The tests indicated that pressure control is required to cope with loss of pressurization due to open doors. Equations were developed to assist in designing pressure control systems involving either a variable supply air rate with feedback control or relief dampers in the walls of the elevator shaft or lobbies. Tests conducted in the tower indicated that for both methods of pressure control, comparison of measured and calculated values of supply air rates and pressure differences are in good agreement.On a effectu\ue9 des essais dans la tour exp\ue9rimentale d'incendie du Conseil national de recherches du Canada afin d'\ue9tudier le mouvement de la fum\ue9e dans les puits d'ascenseurs sous l'effet d'un gros incendie, et de d\ue9terminer la capacit\ue9 des installations m\ue9caniques de mise en pression \ue0 maintenir les puits et entr\ue9es d'ascenseurs aptes \ue0 l'\ue9vacuation des personnes handicap\ue9es at \ue0 l'intervention des pompiers. Les essais ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 qu'il fallait contr\uf4ler la pression pour parer \ue0 la perte de pression due \ue0 l'ouverture des portes. On a formul\ue9 des \ue9quations facilitant la conception de syst\ue8mes de contr\uf4le de la pression comportant soit un d\ue9bit variable d'alimentation d'air avec contr\uf4le en retour, soit des registres d\ue9tendeurs plac\ue9s dans les murs des puits ou des entr\ue9es d'ascenseurs. Les essais r\ue9alis\ue9s dans la tour ont montr\ue9 que dans le cas de ces deux m\ue9thodes de contr\uf4le de la pression, les valeurs mesur\ue9es et calcul\ue9es des d\ue9bits d'alimentation d'air et des \ue9carts de pression concordaient g\ue9n\ue9ralement.Presented at the 1987 ASHRAE Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, USA, June 29-July 1, 1987Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye