An Innovative System for the Evacuation of Smoke and Heat

The purpose of this work is to describe an innovative active fire protection device, consisting of a smoke and heat exhaust system. The system consists of a window-wall with openings at the base and at the top, respectively the first for the entry of fresh air and the second for the evacuation of the smoke and heat produced by the fire. This system allows timely intervention before flashover, significantly reducing the risk of personal injury and material damage and increasing visibility and time available for evacuation and rescue operations. The behavior of the smoke and heat exhaust system above mentioned has been studied, both with fire engineering calculation procedures and with an experimental test, in which the system has provided for the evacuation of the combustion products generated by a test fire, consisting of a pile of wood. The system seems to have better performance than traditional ones and it is fully restorable if not damaged by fire. The system covered by this article, while already providing unquestionable positive results, is still in the testing phase and will be subject to future development, carrying out further experimental tests, if necessary.