Swegon has launched a new range of smoke control dampers. The Actionair SmokeCommand range has been introduced in response to growing demand for improvements in fire and smoke safety strategies throughout UK buildings.
Swegon’s approach ensures that specifiers have all the information necessary to ensure the smoke control dampers they select meet all regulatory and product standard requirements and, crucially, can be tested in conjunction with all other elements of the fire safety strategy to ensure all the components work in harmony and are appropriate for the building in question.
Actionair SmokeCommand dampers are CE Marked single and multiple compartment dampers and are classified to product standard EN13501-4 and tested to EN 1366-10. These slim, lightweight, metal multi-bladed products are designed for duct installation using either a rectangular flange or rectangular spigot. They use a two-position actuator for drive open and drive close operation.
As smoke can spread rapidly through a building’s ductwork system, the dampers must be activated as soon as smoke is detected – reacting to thermal sensing can often be too late. SmokeCommand dampers can be interfaced with the building’s fire alarm system via the Actionpac damper control panel for automatic activation to clear smoke from the affected area, manual override for post fire smoke clearance is also possible. This means users can be reassured that the system will work quickly when needed. Building owners also view the status of the dampers along with receiving notifications, reports and testing updates.
These dampers meet the strict smoke control requirements by moving to an open or closed position less than 60 seconds after receiving an alarm. They will remain open for up to 120 minutes to allow the safe extraction of smoke and increase the amount of time available to evacuate the building. They are able to maintain their position because they have no thermal device to cause uncontrolled operation and no automatic return mechanism.
As well as helping to clear evacuation routes by keeping stairwells and other passages clear during a fire, SmokeCommand dampers play a critical role in extracting heat from a building and can complement the use of fire sprinklers in helping to manage the impact of a fire.
Some dampers will be venting smoke and others closing to manage the movement of the smoke, so it is crucial for a smoke control damper to have low leakage in the closed position and also when open to extract smoke in a controlled way.