Hi Smokey Tests.

Hi Smokey Tests.

For industrial ventilation applications, smoke can be used to qualitatively assess:

• Local recirculation effects in buildings and tunnels;
• Air exchange effectiveness;
• Local air movement around equipment or workers;
• Fume hood or dust system capture effectiveness, and;
• Dispersion.

Where modelling has been used to design a ventilation system, smoke testing can provide a means of validating the results.

"Visualization in an industrial workplace."

For smoke management applications, Stacey Agnew has facilities for testing in atria and tunnels.  These include:

• Cold smoke generators;
• Methylated spirits pan trailer for hot smoke testing in accordance with Australian Standard AS4391;
• RDP (Recycled Dead Pajero) LPG-powered vehicle fire with either pyrotechnic or electric smoke generation;
• SAM the drivable council bus, with on-board facilities for generating large volumes of smoke to simulate a bus fire.

Stacey Agnew developed the RDP and SAM in response to an industry need for safely simulating more realistic vehicle fires for assessing tunnel systems and operational response.  The benefit of SAM is that it is fully self-contained, thereby minimising the setup time of any smoke test.

Stacey Agnew has developed specific processes and procedures for managing risks associated with hot smoke tests in enclosed spaces such as tunnels.  The smoke used in all tests is non-toxic.  Heat effects are managed through appropriate planning and engineering of the test.

In 2012, SAM played a key role in an emergency exercise in the Clem 7 Tunnel in Brisbane, Australia.

"Methylated spirit pan test trailer."

"RDP in tunnel test."

"SAM generating smoke in a tunnel resulting in localized visibility below 5m.."

"SAM being exposed to tunnel deluge system."

"SAM (behind stopped cars) being used in an emergency response exercise in the Clem7 Tunnel, Brisbane 2012 (photo courtesy of Clem7 and Brisbane Motorway Services)."