B006 Thermal hazard shutter

Thermal hazard of a fire shutter in shopping malls in Hong Kong

Brief:

A large building space would be compartmented to inhibit the spread of fire with fire resistant structures. Compartment walls with fire resisting period specified in building regulations are served for this purpose. An opening in a compartment wall for communication of adjoining compartments would be protected by a fire shutter with a fire resisting period as the same with the wall in terms of integrity. In a fire emergency, this opening will not be available for building occupant for evacuation and a fire exit door close to the opening is arranged in many local shopping malls. The fire shutters would be heated to an elevated temperature, subject to a building fire and emit thermal radiation to any adjacent compartment. An evacuee using the adjacent exit door close to the heated shutter would receive a thermal radiant heat flux and would feel skin pain. This creates problems for evacuation in a fire emergency. This paper surveys the typical fire shutter installations in 14 shopping malls and 47 installations close to exit doors are reported. Typical configurations for the shutter-exit door set are identified. The thermal radiant heat flux from these shutters was determined, in order to predict and recommend a safe distance between the fire shutters and individuals standing at a distance where they would be free from skin pain. The implications are that in typical applications, fire shutter should be properly located at a safe distance from the building exit.

Further information:

Wong LT, 2002. Thermal hazard of a fire shutter in shopping malls in Hong Kong, International Conference on Advances in Building Technology, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers, Organized by Faculty of Construction and Land Use, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 4-6 December.