Smoke Control has released the Smoke Guard system, an automatic smoke barrier system designed to reduce the movement of smoke beyond the fire floor via lift shafts, thereby maintaining an adequate level of visibility and reducing the effects of smoke to assist occupants in exiting a building in a fire.
The system incorporates a flexible heat resistant barrier contained in a steel housing which is typically mounted above a lift landing door and concealed within a suspended ceiling or bulkhead. Its operation does not interfere in any way with the lift landing doors.
On the activation of a smoke detector the system deploys, rolling down the face of the lift door opening. A flexible magnet seals against the 430 grade magnetic stainless steel auxiliary rails (or magnetic architrave face of the lift door frame if available). Kevlar cables enable the system to be automatically rewound and packed away into the housing ready for its next use.
The Smoke Guard system is less complex than pressurisation systems, easy to commission and annual maintenance and verification of performance is simple. It is ideal for use in retrofit and building upgrades as an alternative solution to pressurisation and smoke-proof lobbies. Typical applications to date include installations in basement carparks and where the lift doors open directly into a fire escape stair.
Source: Building Products News.