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Document ID (ISN)104151
CIS number 05-416
ISBN(s) 951-38-5201-6
Year 1997
Convention or series no. VTT Publications 326
Author(s) Tuomisaari M.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Title Smoke ventilation in operational fire fighting
Bibliographic information VTT Information Service, P.O.Box 2000, 02044 VTT, Finland, 1997. 52p. Illus. 14 ref. Price: EUR 35.00 (+ 8% VAT). Downloadable version free of charge.
Internet access http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/publications/1997/P326.pdf [in English]
Abstract Ventilating a fire compartment during operational fire fighting procedures may have unpredictable consequences. In some cases the ventilation is advantageous: the hot gases are removed from the fire enclosure, the visibility improves and the enclosure cools down. In some cases the opposite happens: the burning rate accelerates, more smoke is spread around, and the temperatures rise. The most dramatic consequence is a severe explosion. The effect of ventilating the fire compartment was studied systematically by quarter-scale laboratory tests. Both natural and positive pressure ventilation (PPV) were applied. The tests revealed that when properly used, PPV clearly improves the survival probability in the compartment.
Descriptors (primary) fire fighting; smoke vents; emergency ventilation; fire behaviour
Descriptors (secondary) Finland; fire research; simulation facilities
Document type E - Books, reports, proceedings
Country / State or ProvinceFinland
Subject(s) Fire and explosions
Broad subject area(s) Fires, explosions and major hazards
Browse category(ies) Ventilation
Fires