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Smoke management for covered malls and atria

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Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the principal design considerations of smoke management systems for covered malls and atria included in a recently proposed technical guide. The engineering basis for formulating an appropriate design for a smoke management system is presented in the form of algebraic equations and graphs. Techniques to assess the level of life hazard created by a fire in an atrium or covered mall with a smoke management system are discussed. The level of life hazard is expressed in terms of the following hazard parameters: smoke layer depth; visibility through the smoke layer; and the carbon monoxide concentration and temperature rise in the smoke layer.

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Abbreviations

A :

cross-sectional area of atrium (ft2)

c p :

specific heat of smoke (Btu/lb °F)

C CO :

volumetric concentration of carbon monoxide

d :

diameter of plume (ft)

D :

depth of smoke layer (ft)

D l :

optical density of smoke per unit pathlength (ft-1)

D mass :

mass optical density (ft2 /lb)

H :

ceiling height (ft)

H c, conv :

convective heat of combustion (Btu/lb)

m :

mass flow rate (lb/s)

m f :

mass burning rate (lb/s)

M air :

molecular weight of air (lb)

M CO :

molecular weight of carbon monoxide (lb)

Q :

heat release rate from fire (Btu/s)

Q c :

convective heat release rate from fire (Btu/s)

t :

time (s)

T :

temperature at plume centerline (°R)

ΔT :

temperature rise

T′ :

temperature change of ambient air per unit height (°R/ft)

ΔT ad :

adiabatic temperature rise (°F)

T o :

ambient air temperature (°R)

T 1 :

increase in temperature of the ambient air from the ceiling to the floor (°F)

v :

visibility distance (ft)

V :

volumetric flow rate (cfm)

X :

empirical correlation factor

y :

height above fuel surface (ft)

Y :

empirical correlation factor

Y CO :

yield of carbon monoxide produced per unit mass of combustible consumed (lbCO/lbfuel)

z :

clear height or height from top of fuel surface to bottom of smoke layer (ft)

z f :

flame height above fuel surface (ft)

ρ :

density of smoke (lb/ft3)

1:

conditions at an exhaust rate

2:

conditions at a second exhaust rate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, MD, USA

    James A. Milke

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Milke, J.A. Smoke management for covered malls and atria. Fire Technol 26, 223–243 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01040110

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