Publisher's Synopsis
A series of experiments was run in a masonry educational building examining the ability of fire service Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) fans to limit smoke spread or to remove smoke from areas where potential occupants may be located. The PPV fans are able to accomplish this by creating pressures higher than that of the fire to manage where the smoke and hot gases flowed in the building. Preliminary experiments examined the pressure increase created by portable fans and mounted fans in different configurations and locations. The two main fire scenarios included a long hallway with classrooms and a gymnasium. Both scenarios included fires that produced a large amount of smoke and hot gases, and instrumentation was placed to assess tenability criteria and how PPV tactics can either increase or decrease tenability. Measurements included temperature, pressure, thermal imaging and video views.
