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SMOKE CURTAIN

An automatic Smoke Curtain that in the case of fire, limits and controls the movement of smoke, with DA classification. The curtain is composed by: fiberglass fabric with polyurethane coating on both sides seamed with high resistant ss wire and fixed to a steel roller. Galvanized steel headbox and bottom bar. All the system is driven by a 24 V tubular motor and controlled by an electronic board with special Gravity Fail Safe System. Tested and approved according to the European Standard EN 12101-1 and with CE Marking.

OPERATION

The system can be activated by a fire alarm contact, internal fire, and smoke detection devices, or manual emergency buttons. In the event of a fire, the Control Panel receives the signal alarm, and the automatic curtain deploys automatically, with a controlled and safe constant speed of descent even following total power loss on all curtains. If there is a false alarm the curtains return to stand-by position automatically after resetting of alarm from the main Fire Management System.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The specifications for smoke control doors in the Building Code assumes, when modelling, that these have zero leakage, except for a 10mm sill gap. Smoke and fire curtains don’t provide this as they have already got perimeter gaps. But the air leakage are often calculated easily and may be included in your modelling. BS EN 12101 5.5.2 note 2 states that the system designer, when calculating for a specific installation, should take containment efficiency (smoke leakage) into consideration.

The Acceptable Solutions define smoke separations as complying with BS EN 12101 Part 1, Specifications for smoke barriers (which includes fixed barriers), or being a ‘rigid element’, and forming an ‘imperforate barrier’. It does not specify a generic acceptable air leakage rate. BS EN 12101.1 includes note 4.1 that states… compliance, by itself, does not ensure fitness for purpose for an application.

Conventional fire curtains do not provide insulation in the traditional sense, partly because the required test thermocouples will not adhere to the curtain. In some BS EN tests irradiance is measured and this data can be used by the Fire Engineer to calculate the impact of radiant heat at given distances. (insulating zone).

Curtains are often in hard to access and concealed locations. Regular operation, and access to ceiling voids for maintenance may be required.

Think of curtains as a sail and when they restrict the opening, any air flow will increase in speed to travel through the reduced opening. Smoke curtains don’t have side guides (unless specified), so will billow out of the wind path and your smoke flow modelling will need to take this deflection into consideration. The lower the curtain descends, the greater the impact. Fire curtains will have side guides but aren’t designed to deal with wind loads. The curtain could also be a long way from the ultimate exit, but consider the impact of open exterior doors during the evacuation. Will airflow become channelled through the building? BS EN 12101 Smoke and heat control systems Part 1: Specification for smoke barriers, provides some guidance on determining the effect of air flow on curtains.