VDMA symposium on fire protection and smoke extraction

Over 60 participants took part in this year's VDMA Fire Protection and Smoke Extraction Symposium. The comprehensive lecture program, which addressed the central topics of the industry, was well received. Topics included keeping escape and rescue routes smoke-free, smoke extraction from elevator shafts, functional testing obligations and safety-relevant control systems. This year's event impressively demonstrated how important up-to-date knowledge on the topics of fire protection and smoke extraction continues to be for planners, technical managers, fire safety officers, authorities and fire departments. "Over 90 percent of all fire deaths are not caused by flames, but by the effects of smoke gases. Mechanical smoke extraction systems make a decisive contribution here: they create low-smoke zones, secure escape and rescue routes and thus allow valuable time to be gained for self-rescue - especially when the first escape route can no longer be used," said Udo Jung, member of the board of the General Ventilation Technology Association and board member of Trox SE, opening the VDMA Fire Protection and Smoke Extraction Symposium this week. The focus was also on the second edition of the VDMA basic paper, which presents preventive fire protection measures in detail and provides essential knowledge for planning a smoke extraction system.

VDMA basic paper on smoke extraction and smoke control

In Germany, building regulations regulate the protection of people from the effects of fire and smoke through early alarms, short escape routes and compartmentalization. Nevertheless, the discussions between building law and science show that there is no consensus on the optimum smoke removal. For example, the term smoke removal in building regulations covers various options for removing smoke from the building in the event of a fire, which primarily serve to support firefighting by the fire department. The VDMA has therefore drawn up the basic paper on smoke extraction and smoke control, which provides a technically sound basis for the planning and implementation of smoke extraction systems. According to the VDMA, it is important to plan smoke extraction systems correctly. "Careful planning of smoke extraction systems is more important today than ever," said Udo Jung at the event. "Since the change in liability law, it is not only the installers who are liable, but also the planners and operators - this is what makes early coordination between all parties involved so crucial," he emphasized.

Properly securing buildings in the event of a fire

"In particular, if the specifications formulated in the building regulations with regard to the design of a building structure are not complied with - for example because the escape route lengths are exceeded - the protection-oriented design of a smoke extraction system can provide compensation. This design is then crucial for the safety and rapid dissipation of smoke in buildings," explained Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Winkler from the Technical University of Central Hesse, who is one of the authors of the new publication. The basic paper on smoke extraction and smoke control deals in detail with various practical scenarios that support the design of prescribed smoke extraction and smoke dissipation measures. To ensure safety in buildings, the principles of smoke removal include the following methods, for example: Smoke removal by dilution: This principle delays the spontaneous combustion of smoke components and reduces the temperature, which improves component protection. Smoke dissipation by layering: Two horizontally separated layers are created by means of aerodynamic measures - a smoke layer and a low-smoke layer that enables rescue measures. Smoke compartmentation: Structural measures such as smoke barriers or partition walls prevent smoke from passing between parts of the building. Smoke control through overpressure systems: These systems keep escape and rescue routes smoke-free to facilitate self-rescue and rescue by others.