SECTION 15956
SMOKE CONTROL SYSTEM TESTS
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Notes: This Section is intended to include Testing requirements for Smoke Control Systems and shall be
edited by the A/E to satisfy individual project requirements.
Delete this Section if no Smoke Control Systems are to be commissioned.
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PART 1
GENERAL
1.01
DIVISION 1 APPLIES.
1.02
RELATED WORK DESCRIBED IN OTHER SECTIONS:
A. Commissioning: Division 1, Division 15, and Division 16.
B. MIA Terminal Complex Life Safety Master Plan
C. [Other – specify, if any]
1.03
TEST SEQUENCE:
The Testing of Smoke Control systems, equipment and components shall be performed by the
Mechanical Contractor, and all systems, equipment and components shall be certified to be
complete per the contract documents and fully operational prior to calling for the Acceptance Test.
PART 2
PRODUCTS
2.01.1 TESTING EQUIPMENT:
A. The Mechanical Contractor shall provide and use the specific equipment required to perform the work
specified herein.
B. Apparatus used shall be the standard of the industry.
2.02
[Other – specify, if any]
PART 3
3.01
EXECUTION
SMOKE CONTROL SYSTEM ACCEPTANCE TESTS
A. The inspection, testing, balancing and acceptance of Smoke Control Systems, both dedicated and
shared with HVAC systems (smoke control and smoke management shall be construed to mean
the same thing) shall be governed by the following:
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1. ASHRAE Guideline 5, Commissioning Smoke Management Systems.
2. The requirements per the Florida Building Code, NFPA 92A and/or NFPA 92B.
3. The recommendations of the ASHRAE HVAC Handbook Chapter 52 on "Fire and Smoke
Management," and the guide specification for acceptance testing by the Smoke Control
Association may be used as a guide.
4. The MIA Terminal Complex Life Safety Master Plan (LSMP), as an extension of the Florida
Building Code.
5. Inspection/System Operational Acceptance Testing: No attempt to schedule an acceptance test
of the smoke control system shall be made until all of the following conditions have been met
by the Contractor and certified as such by it:
a. The Smoke Control system is completely installed, including but not limited to all
equipment, ductwork, diffusers, devices, wiring and controls.
b. All closures for the individual smoke zones, other than the ceiling, shall be in place.
c. All fan motor amperage readings have been recorded.
d. All components of the system have been fully and successfully tested by the Mechanical
Contractor in all modes of operation with filters in place to confirm the design air flow
(CFM and their operation confirms all design functions, including:
(1) Applicable initiating devices,
(2) Computer and manual controls,
(3) Flow switches,
(4) Control panels,
(5) Smoke control fans, both dedicated and shared with the HVAC system, etc..
e. A successful test of transfer switching equipment has been conducted with the smoke
control system and all other functions of the emergency power supply system at maximum
load.
f.
The Contractor has provided to the Engineer of Record and the Commissioning Agent asbuilt plans of the smoke control system and a description of the means of system activation
and control, containing as a minimum:
(1) Graphic identification of smoke zones and openings therein.
(b) Locations of fire and smoke dampers and smoke damper control devices with
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temperature ratings of fusible links.
(c) In systems utilizing dedicated fans, such as for pressurized stairwells, pressurized
elevator shafts or smoke exhaust shafts, as-built drawings of the system including
fan capacities and a description of the means of system activation.
g. Zoned Smoke Test procedures shall include the following requirements.
(1) Emergency Power: Acceptance testing shall be performed with emergency power and
normal power per the Florida Building Code and the LSMP.
(2) Smoke Control Diagram: Identify the location of each smoke control zone, its
boundaries and all doors in the boundaries.
(3) Normal Operation Test:
(a) With all building HVAC systems in normal operation, the zoned smoke control
system shut-off, and the smoke barrier doors closed, measure and record the
pressure differences across each smoke barrier door.
(b) The measurements/results shall be evaluated and determined if they are
appropriate for the balanced HVAC system.
(4) Smoke Mode Test:
(a) A fire event simulation shall be conducted using the largest smoke zone as the
simulated ZOFO, to demonstrate that the system has met design requirements.
(b) The contract documents are to shall list the test sequence to be used, the operation
of fans and smoke dampers, the position of doors, the acceptable range of pressure
difference for the barrier doors and method of "smoke" production for test, etc.
(c) All testing shall be coordinated with and supervised by MDAD Fire and Building
Departments, MDAD Engineering / Commissioning, and the Design Engineer of
Record.
(d) The testing procedure shall be conducted in accordance with the chronology set
forth in the following table:
Time (minutes)
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SMOKE TEST CHRONOLOGY
Event
0:00
Ignition of smoke generators (bombs)
0:30
Activation of smoke control system.
Monitor smoke zone boundaries for any
smoke migration prior to activation.
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3:00
Verify movement of smoke in the fire zone.
Monitor smoke zone boundaries for smoke
migration.
13:00
Determine whether an exit sign in the test
zone is visible from a height of 6’-0” at a
distance of 20’-0”.
(e) Each smoke zone shall be individually activated and tested as a Zone of Fire
Origin (ZOFO) following the approved sequence and shall have been returned to
normal before another zone is activated.
(f) Smoke generators shall be ignited as nearly simultaneously as practicable and
shall be of types approved by the Miami-Dade County Chief Mechanical Official.
(g) The smoke volume shall be the equivalent to twice the floor or smoke zone
volume measured from slab to slab.
(h) During activation, the designed operation of all fans, dampers and other
components shall be verified.
(i) The smoke control system shall be deemed to have passed the test if:

There is no migration of smoke from the test zone after 3:00 minutes, and

An exit sign in the test zone is visible from a height of 6’-0” at a distance of
20’-0” after 13:00 minutes.
(5) Report: A final report including all the system operation data, plans of smoke zones,
and recorded pressure and force data shall be produced by the Contractor with copies
provided to all participants in the test.
END OF SECTION
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