Thai Royal Mint - Opts for BLE Fire & Smoke Curtains

BLE fire and smoke curtains are distributed around the world by reliable and trusted international contractors, many of whom have worked with BLE for years. So, when the distributor in Thailand, Dilok Rodmorl, was asked to develop the smoke and fire safety system for the new Thai Royal Mint, the company brought in engineers from BLE Fire and Smoke Curtains - manufacturers of the most trusted and reliable fire equipment in the world.
BLE worked alongside Dilok Rodmorl to develop the sophisticated fire curtain and smoke safety system required by the insurance companies and the Thai government. The system included the installation of 14 huge automatic fire curtains that formed a barrier around the entire internal perimeter of the building to protect the equipment and machinery.
The Thai Royal Mint is one of the most important financial institutions in the country. Not only is it responsible for producing currency, it also manufactures commemorative coins and medals, royal orders, plaques and other metal art objects. In addition, the Mint installs and repairs safes, security doors and strong rooms for government agencies throughout Thailand.
The construction of the new Mint began in 1996 to replace the old building which was old, in poor condition and far too small. The new mint, the fifth in Thai history, was completed in 2001 on a site of 50.4 acres and with the capacity to produce 1,000 million coins per year.
The prestige of providing the smoke curtains and fire system for the Thai Royal Mint led to much greater market presence for Dilok Rodmorl. They have since worked on other significant projects across Asia, all in conjunction with BLE Smoke and Fire Curtains.

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PROTECTED MEANS OF ESCAPE, FOR XSCAPE, COURTESY OF BLE

In the vibrant and progressive modern city Milton Keynes, it is probably no surprise to find the UK’s largest indoor real ski slope, and Europe’s first purpose-built body flying tunnel, in the ground breaking Xscape building.
Built in 2000, the Xscape indoor snow and leisure centre is a land-mark feature on the Buckinghamshire skyline. However, the architecture of this iconic structure proved problematic for the original smoke and fire system designers. So, eight years after being created, BLE Smoke and Fire Curtains was brought it to bring the system bang up to date.
BLE fitted a huge static fire curtain around the perimeter of the building to address the gap immediately beneath the roof-line, replacing the original fire curtains that were fitted at launch. BLE’s market leading automatic smoke curtains were used to create a protected vent in the central atria around the rock-climbing wall, all linked up to the main fire and smoke control system.
A huge number of tailor-made, shaped static curtains were manufactured specifically to fit all the maintenance stairwells and corridors, ensuring a protected means of escape throughout the building.
Because of the complexity of the architecture, the contract was extraordinarily labour intensive. However, BLE was commissioned to complete the work based on the company’s track record for innovation and resolving complex fire and smoke safety issues. The team at BLE ensured that existing problems in the Xscape building were overcome practically and economically – and within only two weeks of being awarded the contract.

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THE SEAT OF SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE OPTS FOR SMOKE CURTAINS

They say that the combined revenues of companies founded by affiliates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) would make the twenty-fourth largest economy in the world. Hardly surprising perhaps, from a university faculty that has produced 72 Nobel Laureates.

So when the MIT, a world-leading centre of scientific excellence, commissioned a new Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex the institute selected a smoke protection system from BLE Fire and Smoke Curtains - installed by the USA distributor CYSA Developments.

The new Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex, designed by Charles Correa Associates, is the world’s largest neuroscience centre and a triumph of urban design and engineering. However, the building also posed big challenges for the engineers and architects.

The seven-story, 412,000 square foot state-of-the-art complex houses three separate research organisations, creating a world-class centre for brain research. In addition, there are wet and dry laboratories as well as facilities to support biology, biochemistry, behavioural and cognitive research. There is an auditorium, cafe, seminar rooms and a five-story day-lit atrium. Additionally, the complex spans an active freight railway that runs through a tunnel below the atrium level.

In partnership with CYSA Developments, engineers from BLE worked on the smoke model with Turner, the site management company, and then designed the smoke management system to suit the challenging architecture. BLE’s automatic smoke curtains were used to create smoke zones around the building, incorporating stage descents to ensure protected means of escape throughout the complex. BLE manufactured all of the equipment and supervised the CYSA installation, ensuring that the invaluable research undertaken at the MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex is protected against smoke for years to come.

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Smoke Curtains: The best piece of innovation for years

Smoke Curtains

- The best piece of innovation for years



Health and safety is becoming ever more important for all public places. In a bid to combat the hazards of the outbreak of fire many innovations have been made from smoke alarms to fire doors. However one of the best modern innovations in fire protection and safety is the development of the smoke curtain.
Smoke curtains are barriers that are designed to contain and channel smoke and heat away from areas within a premise. Smoke curtains activate in response to a fire alarm automatically descending to secure the areas in which they have been installed. This assists with the quick and safe evacuation of people by protecting the various means of escape.
The amount of research and design that has gone into manufacturing fire and smoke curtains is quite remarkable. Smoke curtains can be installed very easily wherever you deem fit and restrictions of space is not a problem. Due to this smoke curtains are very versatile when you compare it to its counterpart the fire door. This versatility has meant that fire curtains are now becoming the standard fire safety equipment in many industries including Shopping centres, supermarkets, hotels, airports and theatres.
Smoke curtains are made from woven glass fibre fabric and is normally rolled onto a steel tube. Within it is a 24V DC motor, a sealed heavy duty ball bearing and an electronic control circuit. The roller in total (including the fabric) is housed in galvanised mild-steel head boxes which are normally bolted to the building. In the event of a fire signal the smoke curtains descend and automatically retract once the fire signal stops. The smoke curtains are controlled by the motors via a synchronised speed circuit which ensures that all curtains are raised at similar rates. Smoke curtains descend through gravity at all times and have back-up systems in case of a mains failure.
How do the curtains resist the heat and smoke? This is quite impressive and in simple terms it is due to the metal side guides between the curtain and the building. These create a seal between the fabric and the building and so no smoke or fire can penetrate through the fabric. It is imperative therefore that the seal between the metal side guides and the building are water tight.
If thinking about installing a smoke curtain within your premises it is important that the preparation before hand is thorough. The area of a building in which you are to fix the curtains should have a solid substrate and timber truss (eg blockwork, concrete or brickwork) to provide sound fixing for all 4 sides of the smoke curtain. The smoke curtain should not be exposed externally or under damp conditions so ensure the area you are to install the smoke curtains is dry. It goes without saying that safety, is extremely important and so installation should be carried out by a professional.

When choosing a professional ensure that they are qualified and that the smoke curtains they use comply with British and European Standards. Also ensure that regular maintenance is carried out and they are checked.

This is just a quick overview of what smoke curtains can do. They really are a must have for businesses and the fact that they are discreet, effective and easy to install make them one of the best investments for the fire safety today.

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Fire Curtains: the forefront of safety

FIRE CURTAINS

The forefront of safety



As health and safety becomes more of an issue and an important one at that, having fire curtains installed within business areas is an extremely important investment. European standards that will eventually be introduced which will require that fire curtains be installed into public buildings which include offices.
>Fire and Smoke Curtains in their simplest form are simply barriers that are designed to minimise the spread of fire and smoke. In the case of an outbreak of fire these barriers can be brought down to secure an area allowing more time for people to make a safe and quick escape from a premises. Fire curtains can be programmed to move into position normally descending downward to protect a passageway which aids people in their safe escape.
A Fire Curtain works by having side guide channels either side of the curtain which acts to retain the fire resistant curtain material which is subjected to the pressure caused by fire. A good fire curtain should have an insulation value of at least 30 minutes.

The technology of fire curtains is cutting edge and they have many benefits one of which is helping with the architecture of a premise. Instead of having bulky fire doors and fire shutters, fire curtains allow for a lot more flexibility both for refurbishing buildings or constructing new ones. People continually want to make the most out of the space they have and fire curtains can be discreetly placed in buildings meaning that they do not get in the way and yet will be there when you need them to be. This is extremely important for businesses such as supermarkets and open plan offices here you do not want to jeopardise the look of the surrounding area and ye
The benefits to your safety make fire curtains a very good investment. Safety should be at the utmost priority for all businesses and so it is important that you choose a quality fire curtain from a reputable company. Fire curtains should be fully tested in accordance with British and European Standards (BS) and if in any doubt whatsoever about this you should ask to see documentation to clarify this. The technology involved in the fire curtain you purchase should be fail-safe and this means that they should be supplied with battery backup and emergency power operation in the event of a mains failure. You should also check to see if the control systems<smoke curtains are designed to be robust and as simple as possible to provide minimum maintenance requirements while providing for features such as retract buttons, obstruction sensors and audio visual warnings.Safety is extremely important and over time you may not have much of a choice when it comes to installing fire curtains. The really do however make a massive difference to your workplace not just for safety but also for the whole look of your work area. Knowing a little bit more about fire curtains should help you in your search for the product as you venture on your quest to make your business a lot safer.

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