smokecontrol

Smokecontrol refers to the collection of systems, strategies, and architectural measures designed to manage smoke production and movement during a fire. The primary goals are to maintain tenable conditions for occupants and responders, protect lives, aid evacuation, and limit property damage by controlling where smoke goes and how fast it spreads.

Mechanical smoke control relies on equipment such as fans, ducts, dampers, and venting systems. Common approaches include smoke extraction or exhaust ventilation to remove smoke from occupied spaces, pressurisation of stairwells and corridors to prevent smoke ingress, and the use of smoke curtains or dampers to segment spaces. These systems are typically coordinated with fire detection and alarm systems and are designed to operate in fire mode, often with fail-safe features and redundancy.

Passive smoke control uses building design to limit smoke spread without active devices. This includes fire-rated walls and doors, compartmentalisation to create smoke barriers, protected shafts, and the strategic placement of openings to restrict airflow paths. Together with active systems, passive measures help maintain safe egress routes and create protected zones.

Design and operation involve identifying likely fire scenarios, performing airflow analyses, and sometimes computational fluid dynamics to predict smoke movement. Systems are integrated into building management and fire alarm networks and switch to operation modes dictated by detection events or manual activation. Regular testing, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance are required to ensure reliable performance.

Standards and regulation vary by jurisdiction but typically guide system performance, testing, and safety integration. Common references include national fire safety codes and international standards for smoke and heat control, which help ensure consistent design, installation, and operation of smokecontrol systems.