Nachrichten Smoke but No Fire at Thanet Fire Station
Smoke but No Fire at Thanet Fire Station
KFRS Training Manager David Escudier said, "Here at Thanet Fire Station, the right heater was needed to recreate the intense heat of a fire, up to 38°C, for training purposes." While this is far from run-of-the-mill even by the standards of Reznor engineered solutions, it demonstrates the considerable flexibility and precision that a tailored heating solution can provide. All it requires is imagination and the application of Reznor experience and technical expertise.
Recreating the intense heat of a fire for training purposes can be difficult to achieve. Yet that was exactly what Thanet Fire Station required – the ability to produce 38°C air temperature in an area just 108m² and with a roof height of four metres. The heat, together with artificial smoke, would ensure fire personnel could train under replica fire conditions.
In generating the correct atmosphere, it was important both that no noise could be heard or any air movement detected.
Placement of the heaters that could create such fierce heat proved challenging since they could not be mounted within the smoke-filled training area and the only available space was in two adjacent cupboards, each measuring 750mm deep.
To meet the exacting requirements of this application, Reznor supplied two X1030D unit heaters. Each was mounted in one of the small cupboards, then connected to one another with ducting.
A bifurcated fan capable of withstanding very high air temperatures was mounted vertically in the supply air ducting connected to the first heater. The fan ensured a constant feed of air into the required space.
The two warm air heaters have a combined output of 55kW, high enough to ensure that the supply and return air temperature can be increased sufficiently to effectively simulate the heat levels associated with a real fire.
As a company with a reputation for successfully providing tailored solutions for bespoke applications, Reznor was the natural choice for Thanet Fire Station.
The solution provided has enabled effective training of fire personnel. The training room can be heated to the required temperature without any noticeable movement of air. Furthermore, it takes just one hour from activation of the heaters for the room to reach optimum temperature. The previous system took in excess of four hours to achieve the same conditions.