Experimental Analysis of Pressure Differences in Vertical Spaces for Improving Smoke Control Systems Performance

This study aimed to establish a fundamental research basis for the design of smoke control systems considering fire scenarios. A six-story building scaled to 1/6 of full size was used as the experimental model, and the temperature distributions in the shaft and individual floor compartments were examined by varying the fire size (heat release rate). Pressure differences were calculated based on the measured temperature distributions. The results showed that, within the shaft space, temperatures were higher on the upper floors than on the lower floors, whereas the compartment temperatures on each floor tended to be higher on the lower floors. In addition, as the heat release rate increased, the pressure difference on the lower floors increased, while that on the upper floors decreased. These findings confirm that fire scenarios significantly influence the pressure difference distribution, highlighting the necessity of considering fire scenarios in the design of smoke control systems.