The impact of smoke extraction strategy on ventilation components and particle pollution

The study presented in this paper is part of a larger research project where the aim is to explore if it is viable to apply the extraction strategy using the existing mechanical ventilation systems. One of the objectives is to assess the impact on key ventilation components that are non-fire rated and the indoor air quality in the event of a fire remains. To simulate a school building, a full-scale mock-up building consisting of a classroom, office space and a long corridor was built. To best replicate realistic conditions, a ventilation system that is generally used in school buildings was installed. 14 fire scenarios were tested in the building and involved different types of fuels, place of origin, and ventilation scenarios were carried out. The fuels consisted of fire in an electric scooter, foam rubber mattress, propane gas, and the combination of gas and mattress. In this paper, we report measured particle mass concentration in the extract air, soot deposition at different positions in the ventilation unit and the impact of the different fire tests on selected ventilation components.