Adaptive Protection System

The adaptive protection system (APS) is an innovative solution in the fire ventilation safety market. The system enables very accurate and stable distribution of excess pressure throughout the entire emergency exit staircase and meets all the requirements of EN 12101-6:2005.

eSTER_x40_ikona_4

Quick adaptation to dynamic changes in environmental parameters.

eSTER_x40_ikona_5

Lower costs of building wiring.

ecoMAX850i_ikona_4

System components monitoring: test record, printout, validation of operation.

Pellet_ikona_4

Patented and reliable fireBUS communication system between system components.

Adaptive electronics

Laboratory of Industrial Aerodynamics

The unconventionality and reliability of the system is proven by 3 years of research and testing carried out by a team of professionals at Plum company and, primarily, by tests conducted by an independent laboratory – Institute for Industrial Aerodynamics in Aachen. The tests included the following:
Dynamic behaviour test cycle
Functional test: 20 full cycles of opening and closing doors
Reliability test repeated 10,000 times
Durability: test 20 full cycles of opening and closing doors
Oscillation test: 10 unit tests, 20 cycles each, with open and closed air discharge opening
Dynamic behaviour test: 20 dynamic behaviour cycles.

Description

The system provides the highest level of protection against smoke in horizontal and vertical escape routes in multi-floor buildings, e.g. residential buildings, offices, industrial buildings, shopping centres, dormitories, hotels, etc. It allows to select pressure depending on the building and provides 1-2 [s] reaction time after opening the door as well as very good adjustment results – from 1 to 3 [s] in both tight and non-tight buildings.

Adaptive algorithm

A mathematical model of adaptation is the basis of the APS system. This model, basing on the recorded data, determines in real time the conditions in the evacuation staircase. The obtained accurate pattern of the current condition of the building is used for adaptive adjustment. The algorithm makes the system resistant to adverse effects of wind pressure and eliminates the negative impact of stack pressure on the pressure distribution along the escape route It has a very high resistance to daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations. The reliability and accuracy of the algorithm for pressure differential systems in escape routes has been confirmed by more than 5,000 hours of testing. Modern evacuation route safety systems are based on mechanical devices or a simple PID regulators. The adaptive model, created for the purposes of the APS system, greatly improves the quality of controlling systems for the removal of smoke from evacuation routes.

Advantages of the APS System

ADVANTAGES of the APS System Benefits of the APS System
Very high resistance to adverse effects of wind and stack pressure

Safety regardless of the changes in the external conditions. Innovative adaptive algorithm (based on a neural network) makes the system resistant to adverse effects related to wind pressure; eliminates the negative impact of stack pressure on the pressure distribution along the escape route; has a very high resistance to daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Independence from the variability of air leakage in the evacuation space

Significantly lower costs of commissioning and adapting to the building. The system learns the building to continuously adapts to actual changes in air leakage e.g. due to changes in the structure or discrepancies arising from the design calculations. Virtually, there is no need for continuous tuning at the different stages of project implementation and during the subsequent operation.

Quick adjustment to dynamic changes in environmental parameters

Very quick adjustment to changes in the building. The system quickly adapts to dynamic changes in environmental parameters. It identifies the problems, diagnoses them and applies the appropriate response. Data acquisition: 20 times per second.

Resistance to chaotic changes during evacuation – adaptively applies the flow and pressure criteria

Outstanding operation during actual evacuation. Provides very high resistance to chaotic changes of situation during evacuation (opening and closing of escape doors); the system does not begin to oscillate.

Lower wiring costs

Significantly lower cost of system wiring. fireBUS communication protocol enables data transmission between the modules of the system via one communication loop, which significantly reduces wiring costs.

Flexible expansion of the system. Matching the needs

Comfortable matching to the needs of the designer/contractor/investor Modular design of the system provides the possibility of extension depending on the needs (customising depending on the needs).

Monitoring system components Saving tests: printing, verification of proper operation Safety of operation Monitoring of the system allows to control the connection circuits and the current operating parameters. The APS system allows the user to save tests in the device memory and to print them. The system can be connected to the Internet or a mobile phone for remote diagnostics.
Wide range of operation

Fits both small and large buildings The system can be adapted to all types of buildings regardless of their height: residential buildings, offices, industrial buildings.

It does not require tuning

Lower costs of tuning the system to the existing building The algorithm continuously optimises the operation. It does not require adjustment after installation and after changes in the leakage (discrepancy between the actual and calculated values).

Realizations

IKEA

IKEA (Wrocław)
Ikea store with an area of 37,705 m2, 6 staircases of high tightness and cubic volume. Individual elements of an APS system were installed: Mac-FC regulators (6 pcs), P-Mac sensors (6 pcs), power-control cabinets SZA-FC (6 pcs), TS control board, MSPU device to control the transmission and performance parameters.

ZLOTA-44

Office building, Warsaw
The system has been equipped with a complex logic which, depending on the section in which the fire broke, determines according to which the pressure sensors have individual units to operate. Thanks to the application of many units to one staircase and adaptive control algorithms, it was possible to compensate for the phenomenon of strong chimney draft and offset the hydraulic resistance occurring at such large staircases. The use of local and global fireBUS loops has allowed to significantly reduce the cost of cabling.