PyroShield - A HVAC fire curtain testing robot

Abstract

Abstract Fire curtains (or dampers), as found in HVAC ducts, are drop-down thermally triggered fire-resistant barriers designed to block the spread of fire and smoke. Regulations stipulate regular mechanical drop-down testing as a visual inspection may not identify rust or jamming which may prevent a curtain from falling. Currently it is difficult to test these curtains as many HVAC ducts are small (340 mm × 330 mm) and access hatches often don’t allow direct external access to the thermal fuse. Hence complete testing may require the temporary (and expensive) removal of plaster walls, floors or ceilings. This paper describes a pair of tele-operated robots which are designed to mechanically test the operation and serviceability of the fire curtain. Significant experimentation has demonstrated that the testing procedure requires a skilled operator and can be performed typically within a 15 minute timeframe without the expense of renovation and remediation procedures.