History of Smoke Fans
Were smoke fans always needed? How did the development of smoke fans start? Smoke ventilation became essential for the safety of towns, cities, and citizens around the 19th century. It was around the 1960s and 70s that major steps were taken to develop smoke ventilation.
The 1930s:
During the 1930s, the National Board of Fire Underwriters, in the USA led the research. It suggested that in case of a fire, HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) were to be shut down. Today, this has become the foundation of high-rise buildings’ smoke ventilation systems. At the same time, research was also being conducted in the UK. This research was about natural ventilation and pressurization systems. Moving on, in 1936 the London County Council (LCC) decided that the residential apartments with less than four stories were only allowed to have a non-combustible stairway if the flats could be accessed directly from the stairway of the corridor or lobby. Thus, the work done in the 1930s for the development of the smoke ventilation system acted as a stepping stone for later years.
The 1960s:
During the 196os and 70s, vast research was conducted by the NRCC (National Research Council of Canada) and BRE. It was also because of the development of many high-rise buildings during the late 20th century. NRCC even performed several experiments in a ten-story fire tower. This tower had corridors, stairs, and lift shafts. The experiments resulted in the development of more sophisticated smoke management systems. Moreover, with time these experiments and researches led to the consideration of installing smoke exhaust fans in shopping malls, and other large spaces.
Further, in 1962, BSI (British Standards Institution) published the stay-put policy. It has made sure that the emergency exits remained clear for those who most needed to evacuate a building, in the event of a fire. There were other developments like the main corridors of a building that had to be provided permanent ventilation.
The 1980s and 90s:
In 1983, the NBS published the design of Smoke Control Systems for buildings. The system focused on stairwell pressurization, zone smoke control, and allowed engineers to design smoke controls systems. During the 80s and 90s, the designers constantly made improvements to the smoke control system.
The 20s:
If we talk about the current situation, the exhaust fans help a lot to exhaust the hot air as well as gases. It helps to keep the temperature normal and comfortable at the industrial and domestic levels.
The purpose of an exhaust and smoke fan is to remove the heat and smoke from any place. The smoke fans have been installed in tunnels as well. It helps to remove the heat and humidity from tunnels and keep the environment friendly. It contains high-quality filtration and a powerful fan. It may help to extract the smoke from any place. It is compatible with both commercial and residential places.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, if we have a look at the history of smoke fans, it considers as the best invention to control fire smoke and heat. It helps to keep the environment humidity-free and generate a healthy ambiance.
