SAC 100 Automatic Smoke Curtain System - Specifier Information -
CONTENTS 1. Introduction Page 3 2. Construction and Method of Operation Page 5 3. Performance 3.1. Resistance to Fire/Heat Page 6 3.2. Deflection Page 6 3.3. Reliability Page 7 4. Certification Page 7 5. Typical Specification 5.1. Scope Page 8 5.2. Standards Page 8 5.3. General Requirements 5.3.1. Quality Assurance Page 8 5.3.2. Performance Page 8 5.4. Construction 5.4.1. Roller Mechanism Page 9 5.4.2. Curtain Material Page 9 5.4.3. Enclosures Page 10 5.4.4. Bottom Rail Page 10 5.4.5. Control System Page 10 5.5. Installation Page 11 5.6. Commissioning Page 11 5.7. Operation Page 11 5.8. Maintenance Page 11 Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 2
1. Introduction Smoke curtains, employed in many modern buildings, are used in the event of a widespread fire to restrict the lateral spread of smoke and hot gases along the underside of a roof, ceiling or balcony. The curtains are an integral part of the smoke control system and are designed to create ceiling reservoirs, or to channel smoke into reservoirs, from which the smoke and hot gases can be extracted and to prevent the further spread of smoke through the building. Automatic smoke curtains, are smoke curtains installed above a false ceiling or on the underside of the floor slab, which lower to their operational position on receipt of a signal from the building smoke detection system. In addition to automatic smoke curtains, fixed smoke curtains may be used to fill the gap between the automatic curtain and the underside of the floor slab to prevent passage of smoke through the ceiling void. Automatic smoke curtains are used as barriers or as channelling screens according to the design of the building and the requirements of the smoke extract system. Skylight Ventilator SAC 100 Smoke Curtain System Smoke Layer Source of Fire Floor Level Typical Reservoir Curtain Application Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 3
The principle use of automatic smoke curtains is to prevent a building becoming smoke logged before occupants have had time to escape and thus to also assist the fire fighting personnel. Although they are effectively deployed at some distance from the heart of a fire and do not serve to contain the fire in the way that a fire curtain or fire shutter would, they may slow the spread of a fire. It is therefore essential that the smoke curtains respond immediately on detection of smoke. There are two standards covering the construction and testing of smoke curtains. These are: - LPS 1182: Issue 2: 1994 - BS 7346: Part 3: 1990 The Loss Prevention Standard LPS 1182 includes all the requirements of the British Standard 7346: Part 3, but requires higher standards of fire resistance and proof of the integrity of the supporting system as well as verification of the manufacturer s Quality Management System to the International Standard ISO 9000. The SAC 100 has been designed by Guthrie Douglas to meet all the requirements of an automatic smoke curtain system in a simple, reliable and cost-effective manner, and complies fully with LPS1182 and BS7346. The SAC 100 stops the spread of smoke and slows the spread of a fire Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 4
2. Construction and Method of Operation All materials used in the construction of the SAC 100 Smoke Curtain System have been chosen to ensure a reliable system that meets all the requirements of the British and Loss Prevention Standards. All the components used in the construction of the SAC 100 including the curtain fabric are manufactured from Class O materials. In addition to meeting the Class O requirement, the smoke curtain has been tested in accordance with the fire resistance requirements of BS 7346: Part 3 and meets the Grade A requirement of LPS 1182 for curtains up to 6m wide x 3m drop. This includes the integrity of the supporting structure to withstand fire conditions as defined in LPS 1182. The SAC 100 Smoke Curtain System is designed to power down to its operational position immediately on receipt of a signal from the fire alarm system. In the event of loss of power to the system, both the control and power supplies are backed up by a Self- Monitoring Battery Back-up System. This ensures that in the event of system failure (such as the batteries) or power loss, the curtains are moved to their operational position before the batteries are depleted. The Self-Monitoring BBU carries out a full system check simulating power loss twice per day. Curtain always stays under control with its battery backup Since the curtains move under complete control at all times, there is no risk of shock loading on the supports even with long drop curtains and the need for costly and complicated mechanical or electrical governors is eliminated. The speed of descent of the curtains is controlled automatically without the need for any on-site adjustment. Local controls for testing, re-setting and overriding the operation of the curtains can be provided according to customer requirements. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 5
3. Performance 3.1. Resistance to Fire/Heat The SAC 100 Smoke Curtain System has been fully tested in accordance with BS 7346: Part 3 which includes tests in the operational position on a furnace heated in accordance with the time temperature curve of BS 476: Part 20 up to a temperature of 600 C and then held at 620 + 20 C for a period of 30 minutes. This test was carried out by the Loss Prevention Council Laboratories. The curtain remained in place and intact throughout the test period and for a further 10 minutes at which point, there being no further signs of deterioration, the test was halted. T ( C) 600 0 0 30 t (min) Fire resistance test carried out by the LPCB on the SAC 100 The fabric of the curtain included a horizontal seam representative of the type used on curtains with a drop of over 1m. By use of a horizontal seam, the SAC 100 eliminates vertical joins and reduces the headbox dimensions on long drop curtains. In accordance with LPS 1182 the largest barrel assembly at 6m wide has been checked by calculation to ensure that the maximum stress does not exceed 131N/mm 2. These figures confirm the integrity of the support structure in a fire (a factor not covered by the British Standard). 3.2. Deflection Smoke curtains and channelling screens are required by BS7346: Part 3 to withstand a wind pressure of 5m/sec without deflecting more than 15 from the vertical. Whilst side guides can be used to restrain the bottom bar, they cannot be used to restrain the entire curtain. In any given situation, side guides will reduce the curtain deflection by 50%. Even so, there are many situations where the use of side guides is impossible or aesthetically undesirable. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 6
The SAC 100 has been designed to be capable of achieving the deflection criteria at 3m drop without the use of side guides. This is achieved by the addition of bottom bar weight in accordance with the table. Curtain Drop Combined Bottom Bar Weight (m) 5m/sec 3m/sec 1m/sec 0-1 2.67 1.46 0.31 1-2 5.34 2.92 0.62 2-3 8.01 4.38 0.93 3.3. Reliability Smoke curtains according to the British Standard, shall have an expected life of at least 10 years and assuming testing once per week, this corresponds to a minimum of 5-600 operational cycles. In fact, the SAC 100 has been tested over 2000 times in accordance with BS 7346: Part 3 without sign of wear or deterioration. This test was witnessed by the LPCB. All components of the SAC 100 have been carefully selected and are produced in a Quality Assured environment, but more importantly, the SAC 100 has been designed to use the minimum number of components and therefore, reliability has been designed into the system as a whole. 4. Certification Approval of the SAC 100 Automatic Smoke Curtain System has been obtained through the Loss Prevention Certificate board. Copies of the certificate and the current Quality Assurance Certificate are available on request. Assessed to ISO 9001: 2000 Certificate No 193 Unless otherwise stated, all SAC 100 Smoke Curtain Systems are manufactured to BS 7346: Part 3: 1990 under a Quality Assurance System conforming to BS. EN. ISO 9001 but only products bearing a label with the LPCB logo and product reference conform to LPS 1182. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 7
5. Typical Specification The following specification has been drafted to enable the specifier to ensure that only a suitable system is chosen for a building project. 5.1. Scope This specification covers the requirements for the performance, supply, installation and commissioning of the SAC 100 Automatic Smoke Curtain System on an office building, shopping centre or similar large open plan construction. 5.2. Standards Compliance with the following standards is obligatory: BS7346: Part 3: 1990 - Specification for smoke curtains BS476: Part 6: 1989 - Method of test for fire propagation for products BS476: Part 7: 1987 (1993) - Method for classification of the surface spread of flame of products BS476: Part 20: 1987 - Method for determination of the fire resistance of elements of construction (general principles) BS EN ISO 9001: 1994 - Quality Systems - Model for quality assurance in production, installation and servicing LPS1182: Issue 2: 1994 - Requirements and Tests for LPCB Approval... of Powered Smoke Curtains BS5588 (various parts) - Fire precautions in the design, construction and use of buildings. 5.3. General Requirements 5.3.1. Quality Assurance The manufacturer, Guthrie Douglas Ltd., shall operate a Quality Assurance System assessed by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) against the requirements of BS.EN ISO 9001 for the production and maintenance of smoke protection equipment. 5.3.2. Performance The installed smoke curtain system shall meet the following performance criteria: Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 8
5.3.2.1. Resistance to fire/heat. The smoke curtains, in their operational position, shall meet the integrity criteria of BS 7346: Part 3. Evidence shall be provided that the curtains also meet the requirements of a Smoke Curtain - Grade A when tested in accordance with LPS 1182. 5.3.2.2. Deflection. Documentary evidence shall be provided that the curtains meet the deflection criteria of BS 7346: Part 3. 5.3.2.3. Reliability. A representative curtain, not less than 6m wide x 2m drop shall be tested at least 2000 times without deterioration in accordance with BS 7346: Part 3. 5.3.2.4. Gap Criteria. Gaps between curtain edges and the sides of the building shall not exceed 40mm and gaps between corner curtains shall not exceed 50mm. 5.3.2.5. Operation. The curtains shall assume their operational position immediately on receipt of a fire alarm signal. The speed of operation shall be between 0.1 and 0.2 m/sec. The operation shall be independent of the presence of mains supply and overriding controls shall be provided as part of the control system. Disruption of the supply or cabling shall not cause the curtains to drop without warning. 5.4. Construction 5.4.1. Roller Mechanism The design of all moving parts shall provide satisfactory operation throughout the normal life of the curtains, which shall not be less than 10 years. The roller shall be manufactured from an 85mm diameter galvanised steel tube designed not to exceed the bending stress criteria of 130N/mm 2 of LPS 1182. The roller shall incorporate a DC tubular electric motor with integral limit switches and braking mechanism. The roller mechanism will be mounted in self-aligning bearings and incorporate lateral adjustments to enable the bottom rail to be aligned accurately with the ceiling slot. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 9
5.4.2. Curtain Material The curtain (and other materials used in the construction) shall meet the Class O performance requirements defined in the Building Regulation 1991. Multiple curtains shall be joined along their bottom edge by overlapping a minimum of 400mm. All curtains where the drop exceeds the fabric woven width shall be joined by horizontal seams and evidence shall be provided that the fire resistance tests were performed on a curtain with a representative horizontal seam. 5.4.3. Enclosures Enclosures for the roller mechanisms shall be manufactured in 18swg galvanised steel and be complete with bottom closure plates. 5.4.4. Bottom Rail The bottom rail shall comprise back to back extruded aluminium angles and be provided with a clip-on aluminium cap finished in polyester powder paint in an approved colour. 5.4.5. Control System The curtains shall be zoned in groups of 1 to 12 curtains according to the building and smoke ventilation design. For each zone, there shall be provided, one zone control. Each zone control shall incorporate all the electrical equipment for the operation of the zone of curtains and provide the following functions: 5.4.5.1. Alarm Interface to suit a volt-free normally closed alarm signal, open in the event of a fire. 5.4.5.2. Panel mounted indicator lamps for mains supply, battery status and alarm conditions and a system test switch. 5.4.5.3. Self-monitoring battery back-up system with full diagnostic test and alarm output in the event of a fault being detected. This test shall be carried out on an hourly basis. 5.4.5.4. Connections for remote switch with status indicator lamps. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 10
5.4.5.5. The control system shall be housed in a polyester powderpainted steel enclosure, with dimensions not exceeding 500 x 470 x 200mm. 5.4.5.6. Each motor shall be provided with a terminal box incorporating a plug connection for individual motor maintenance and commissioning. 5.5. Installation Installation shall only be carried out by an approved contractor that has been certified by the manufacturer. All installation work will conform to the requirements of BS 7346: Part 3 and LPS 1182. 5.6. Commissioning Commissioning of the system shall be carried out by the installation contractor and certified by the manufacturer. On completion, full training shall be given before hand-over and accompanied by maintenance and operation manuals. 5.7. Operation The operation of the smoke curtain system shall comply precisely with the following flow chart. BUILDING FIRE ALARM STATUS NORMAL ALARM SYSTEM MAINS SUPPLY STATUS FAILED Note Operation in Alarm is independent of mains supply NORMAL YES NO time less than 4 hrs Curtains Remain Retracted Curtains Deploy Immediately 5.8. Maintenance The manufacturer shall provide a list of recommended spares and a maintenance schedule. All parts including batteries shall be guaranteed for a minimum of 2 years. Guthrie Douglas Ltd. SAC 100 - Specifier Information Nov.99 - Page 11
11.99 Distributed by: Guthrie Douglas Limited 12 Heathcote Way, Heathcote Industrial Estate GB - Warwick CV34 6TE Telephone: (+44) 1 926 452452 Fax: (+44) 1 926 832914 E-mail: sales@guthriedouglas.com Web Site: www.gdsmokecontrol.com