Electrically Operated Smoke Vents
Electric smoke vents are a current topic, gaining ground in Europe and will likely become the preferred solution for smoke and hot gas evacuation in case of fire. For decades, pneumatic smoke vents have “ruled” and established themselves as the undisputed leader among roof smoke vents.
The refinement of active fire protection solutions, the concern for fire safety even for small residential buildings, the increasingly better understanding of how fire and smoke behave, and the increased care to avoid fire casualties have contributed to the growing interest in electrically operated smoke vents.
Although they contribute to smoke evacuation in case of fire, smoke vents can increase air circulation in the building and may intensify the fire. There are situations where, at a certain stage of the fire, firefighters need to limit airflow in the building and need to close the smoke vents.
Certain fire extinguishing systems (inert gas extinguishing systems or EFSR – Early Suppression Fast Response systems) work efficiently with closed smoke vents.
At the Solina factory in Alba Iulia, for example, a challenge for our specialists was the EFSR (Early Suppression Fast Response) sprinkler system, which requires that smoke vents, automatically opened by the control panel during a fire, can be closed by firefighters for efficient fire extinguishing. Read more about the electric vents provided by KADRA for this project here: KADRA electric vents at SOLINA factory
Electrically Operated Smoke Vents – Advantages
Although the initial cost is somewhat higher than pneumatic vents, electrically operated smoke vents prove to be, over time, the practical, economical, and reliable solution. Here are some of their advantages:
- they do not have elements that need replacement in case of accidental activation (for pneumatic vents, the thermosensitive ampoule, CO2 cylinder, pyrotechnic activator cap, and sometimes the vent hinges need replacement);
- the same vent can be used for daily ventilation and for the evacuation of smoke and hot gases in case of fire;
- after automatic activation, they can be closed, if necessary, for efficient fire extinguishing;
- besides ventilation and smoke evacuation, they can also provide roof access – read the article about the SkyMax electric vent;
- they are a reliable solution, subjected to testing for 1,000 open-close cycles (if intended only for smoke evacuation) or 10,000 cycles (if also intended for daily ventilation);
- they can be tested monthly, to verify the ability of fire protection systems to function correctly, if needed;
- they do not require regular replacement of consumables (for pneumatic vents, the ampoules and CO2 cylinders are replaced every 2 years, and the spring of the thermal valve and the cap of the pyrotechnic activator are replaced every 3 years; in addition, 10% of the building’s pneumatic vents must be tested annually, which also involves replacing consumables);
Electrically Operated Smoke Evacuation
Considering the advantages listed above, it is no wonder that solutions for evacuating smoke and hot gases, such as electrically operated smoke vents or automated windows for smoke evacuation and ventilation, are becoming increasingly popular and are establishing themselves as standards in modern buildings.
Although, in our country, pneumatic smoke vents still hold supremacy, especially in industrial, commercial, and logistics projects, KADRA specialists can assist you in finding the optimal smoke evacuation solution, based on electrically operated smoke vents – the efficient, reliable solution with minimal maintenance costs.
For smoke evacuation in the stairwells of multi-story buildings, KADRA can offer you the complete solution composed of:
- Electric smoke vent, with 4 roles: natural lighting, daily ventilation, smoke evacuation, and terrace access;
- Fresh air intake for smoke evacuation, through the automated window or door;
- Intelligent control unit, with backup batteries and emergency button.
The stairwell smoke evacuation solution is integrable into the building’s detection and alarm system, and all its components are certified, according to EN 12101-2 – the European standard for smoke and hot gas exhaust ventilators, in case of fire.
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