12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

Subscribe

IdeaXchange

ContactUs

Newsletters

AdvertiseWithUs

Welcome,abco
AboutUs
InfoDex RSS!
MyAccount|SignOut

HPACEngineering
AirConditioning

BuildingControls

Fire/Smoke

Heating

HumidityControl

IAQ&Ventilation

Motors/Drives

Piping/Pumping

Resources

HOME > FIRE / SMOKE > SMOKE CONTROL IN A NON-DUCTED RETURN-AIR SYSTEM

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem
Meetingtheincreasinglycommonchallengeofdetectingsmokeinasystemwith
littleornoreturnairductwork
ByJEFFROBINSONandTODDVANGORDER,SETMeridianIntegrationsTallmadge,Ohio|
HPACEngineering
SHARE

Tweet

Recommend

Jul1,2012

COMMENTS 0

This article focuses on a design challenge common in new buildings: designing for smoke control in a
non-ducted return-air system above a suspended ceiling.

Inafireemergency,smokeandbyproductsofcombustionposeafargreaterthreatto
humanlifethanflamesandheat.Thatiswhy,inmodernconstruction,aconsiderable
amountofattentionispaidtoensuringabuildingiscapableoflimitingthespreadof
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

1/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

smokeinanemergency.Myriadsystemsandprocesses,includingfiredoors,smoke
detectionsystems,stairwellpressurizationsystems,andexhaustsystems,contributeto
thesedesigns,withmanyplayingamajorroleinbuildingHVACandcontrolsdesign.
Obviously,systemsthathandlethemovementofairplaythebiggestroleinanyattemptto
controlthespreadofsmokewithinastructure.Whileanentirebookcouldbewrittenon
thissubject(andlikelyhasbeen),thisarticlewillfocusonadesignchallengecommonin
newbuildings:designingforsmokecontrolinanonductedreturnairsystemabovea
suspendedceiling.

LatestWhitePapers
WHITE

OCT30,2015

PAPER

DiamondControls
SolutionsEmpowering
InnovativeBuilding
Management
WHITE

MAR19,2014

PAPER

EvolvingEnergy
Efficiency
Regulationsfor
HVACR

Morespecifically,thisarticlewilldiscusslargeHVACapplicationsinwhichagoodsized
unitoragroupofunitssuppliestreatedairtovariousroomsviaanetworkofsupply
ducts.Theroomsandthecorridorsconnectingthemhavesuspendedceilings.Ductwork
terminatesatdiffuserslocatedwithintheroomsceilings.Eggcrateopeningsinthe
ceilingsoftheroomsallowairtoreturnabovetheceilingspace.Whiletheroomsare
separatedfromoneanother,thereareopeningsinthewallsbetweentheroomsand
interconnectingcorridors.Ultimately,thespaceabovethecorridorsceilingsbecomesthe
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

Webinars
SEP15,2015
2/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

mainreturnairpathforthesystem.

WEBINAR

ANewEraof
Efficiency:Advances
inWaterSourceVRF
Technology

Assmokecontrolstandardsarewritten,smokeisbestdetectedonthereturnairsideof
anHVACsystem.However,ifthereturnairportionofasystemhaslittleornoductwork,
howdoesonedetectthatsmokeismovingthroughtheairinafireemergency,
particularlyintheabsenceofarequirementforroomstobeequippedwithsmoke
detection?Wehaveseenmanyinstancesinwhichamechanicalengineerhasspecified
theinstallationofdampersbetweenroomsandcorridorsandthemechanicalcontractor
hasinstalledatypeoffiredamperutilizingfusiblelinksintheopenings.
Fusiblelinksessentiallyholdopenaspringloadedfirerateddamper.Thelinksmelt
whenthetemperatureexceedsthetemperaturestampedonthelinksbythe
manufacturer.Oncethelinksmelt,thedamperslamsshut.Thereareseveraldrawbacks
tothis.Thefirstisthereoftenisnosupervisionofthedamperclosing.Alinkmaycome
loose,melt,orotherwisefail,andnoonemaybethewiser(asidefromthefacttheroom
maysufferimproperairmovement).Aseconddrawbackisifalinkdoesfail,itmustbe
replacedandthedampermanuallyreset.Themaindrawbackcomesfromafiresafety
andsmokecontrolstandpoint.Whenthegoalistostopthespreadofsmoke,onehasto
askwhatgoodarelinksthatrespondtoheatonlyindroppingafiredamper.Inmost
cases,bythetimeheatwouldbuildupenoughtomeltalink,smokewouldhavemovedin
anunintendeddirection.
So,ifstoppingthespreadofsmokeisthegoal,selectionofamotorizeddamperthatis
poweredopeniscritical.Poweringopenadamperprovidesafailsafeinthatifthepower
feedingthedamperdropsoutorotherwiseisinterrupted,thedamperwill,bydesign,
naturallywindtotheclosedposition.
Onceadamperisselected,controlmustbeestablished.Controlisestablishedby
connectingthepowerthatfeedsadampertorelayscontrolledbydetectorsthatcansense
smokemovement.
Atahighschoolrecently,theentireareaabovedropceilingswasconsideredplenum
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

AUG11,2015
WEBINAR

ImprovingHVAC
EnergyEfficiency
ThroughAccurate
Humidity
Measurement
JUL22,2015
WEBINAR

HowtoGettheMost
OutofYourBuilding
AutomationSystem
withService
ViewAll

Blogs&Opinions
Blogs

Columns

FundingHVACREnergyEfficiency
ResearchandDevelopment
byLawrence(Larry)Clark,
QCxP,GGP,LEEDAP+
Posted6daysago
inClark'sRemarks

GivingThanks
3/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

space.Everyclassroomhadapenetrationthroughthewallabovethedropceilingtoallow
airfromtheroomstomovebackintothespacesabovethecorridors.Thewallswere
block,andthebuildingdidnothavetotalsmokedetectioncoverage.Thecontractors
werepreparingtoinstallfusibleheatlinkstylefiredampersineachoftheopeningswhen
thecodeauthorityquestionedtheapproachforthereasonsoutlinedabove.Thecode
authoritycitedbothlocalcodesandtheNationalFireProtectionAssociation(NFPA),
includingNFPA72,NationalFireAlarmandSignalingCode.Thechallengewastohave
thereturnairsystemcomplywiththefollowingNFPA72requirement:
Unlessotherwisemodified,...ifthedetectionofsmokeinthereturnairsystemis
requiredbyotherNFPAstandards,detector(s)listedfortheairvelocitypresentshallbe
locatedwheretheairleaveseachsmokecompartment,orintheductsystembeforetheair
entersthereturnairsystemcommontomorethanonesmokecompartment.

byLawrence(Larry)Clark,
QCxP,GGP,LEEDAP+
Posted2weeksago
inClark'sRemarks

AcceleratingEnergyProductivity
byLawrence(Larry)Clark,
QCxP,GGP,LEEDAP+
Posted4weeksago
inClark'sRemarks

Tounderstandwheresmokedetectionneedstobepositionedinthisexample,wehaveto
refertoAppendixAofNFPA72:

http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

4/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

Signuptoreceiveourfreenewsletters
HPACEngineeringFastrack
(BiWeekly)ViewSample
HPACEngineeringGreenBuildings
(Monthly)ViewSample
FireProtectionEngineeringEmerging
Trends(Monthly)ViewSample
ProductSpotlight(Monthly)View
Sample
EMAIL*
COUNTRY*

UnitedStates

Enteryouremailabovetoreceivemessagesabout
offeringsbyPenton,itsbrands,affiliatesand/orthird
partypartners,consistentwithPentonsPrivacyPolicy.

Detectorslistedfortheairvelocitypresentcanbepermittedtobeinstalledattheopening
wherethereturnairentersthecommonreturnairsystem.
Theappendixgoesontoexplainwhereexactlytolocatethedetectors.Thisisshown
clearlyinFigure2.
WhiletheNFPAdoesagoodjobofdescribingwheretolocatedetection,itdoesnot
provideagoodexplanationofhowtoaccomplishit.Basedonourinterpretationofcodes
andstandards,wehaveidentifiedtwowaystoaccomplishdetection:
Thebestapproachfromanoverallfireprotectionstandpointistoinstallasmalllengthof
ductworkontheoutletstreamsideofeveryopening.Thiswillgivethefirealarm
installingcontractoraplacetomountaductdetectorintheoutletstreamduct.By
utilizingthisapproach,onestandstheoptimalchanceofsamplinganddetectingsmoke
movingfromroomtocorridor.
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

FollowUs

TwitterFacebook
LinkedIn
RSS

5/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

Wiredownfromtheceilingspottypesmokedetectorsratedfortheanticipatedair
movementincompliancewithNFPAmountingrequirementsforopenings.Asinglespot
detectorislessexpensivethanaductdetector.Iftheopeningiswideenough,multiple
spotdetectorsmaybeneeded.Whilethisisnotnecessarilythebestwaytosampleair
movingfromspacetospace,itdoesmeettheintentofcode.

Obviously,installingshortsectionsofductworkateveryopeninghasitsexpense.Working
closelywithyourfirealarmequipmentvendorwillhelprevealwhichapproachismore
costeffectivefromasmokedetectionequipmentstandpoint.
Regardingconnectiontodampers,arelaybase,arelaywithinaductdetector,and/ora
relaymodulewillcutthepowerfeedingamotorizedductdamperuponthedetectionof
smoke.AlsorecommendedisconnectingthefirealarmsystemtoHVACcontrol
equipmenttoshutdownpowertotheHVACsystemintheeventoffire.
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

6/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

So,whatmethodwaschoseninourexample?Thehighschoolwentwithductextensions
oneachopeningandaddedductsmokedetectors(approximately100intotal).Everyone,
includingthelocalauthorities,agreedthisofferedthebestprotectionagainstthespread
ofsmoke.
Utilizingthemethodsdescribedherewillresultinasystemcapableofcontrollingthe
spreadofsmokeandthatmeetswhattheauthorsfeelistheintentofcodesand
standards.Itshouldbenotedthat,whiletheauthorsbelievethesemethodstobesound,
ultimately,itistheresponsibilityofauthoritieshavingjurisdictiontoverifyaplanned
approachfitstheirinterpretationoftheintentofapplicablecodesandstandards.

JeffRobinsonandToddVanGorder,SET,aresystemdesignersforMeridian
Integrations(www.meridianintegrations.com).AnOhioboardcertifiedfirealarm
designer,Robinsondesignsnetworked,voiceevacuation,andmassnotificationsystems
forhighriseandspecialtyapplications.HeholdsthreeNationalInstitutefor
CertificationinEngineeringTechnologies(NICET)certifications,includingLevelIVfor
firealarms,aswellasadegreeinfirescience.Aformerfirefighterandemergency
medicaltechnician,VanGorderhasmorethantwodecadesoffireprotection
experience.HeholdsfiveNICETcertifications,includingLevelIVforfirealarmsand
specialhazardfiresystems,andisanOhioboardcertifiedfirealarmandspecial
hazardfiresystemdesigner.

Didyoufindthisarticleuseful?SendcommentsandsuggestionstoExecutiveEditor
ScottArnoldatscott.arnold@penton.com.

SHARE

http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

Tweet

Recommend

7/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

DiscussthisArticle
POSTINGAS:

abco

(SignOut)
YOURCOMMENT:*

SUBMITCOMMENT

Newsletter Signup
Signuptoreceiveourfreenewsletters
HPACEngineeringFastrack(BiWeekly)ViewSample
EMAIL*
COUNTRY*

UnitedStates

EnteryouremailabovetoreceivemessagesaboutofferingsbyPenton,itsbrands,affiliatesand/orthirdpartypartners,
consistentwithPentonsPrivacyPolicy.

Related Articles
WithPolyimideFoamDuctLiner,AirIsFelt,notHeard,inSchoolAuditorium
ASHRAELaunchesOnlineDiscussionForum
ASHRAESeekingPapersfor2015WinterConferenceinChicago
http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

8/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

SeattleAreaYoungEngineersinASHRAEPlanningSeriesofFreeEvents
MeettheHPACEngineeringEditorialAdvisoryBoard

HPAC.com
AirConditioning BuildingControls Fire/Smoke Heating HumidityControl IAQ&Ventilation Motors/Drives Piping/Pumping

Site Features

HPAC Engineering Corporate

MediaCenter

PrivacyPolicy

RSS

TermsofService

Sitemap

Contact

SiteArchive

Follow Us

Newsletters

Search HPAC.com

ViewMobileSite

Mechanical Systems Sites

ContractingBusiness Contractor HVACTalk Comfortech2013Show HVACRDistributionBusiness RadiantLiving
FireProtectionEngineering

http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

9/10

12/14/2015

SmokeControlinaNonductedReturnairSystem

Copyright2015Penton

http://hpac.com/firesmoke/smokecontrolnonductedreturnairsystem

10/10