Project Case Study
Jet-fan smoke extraction performance under a 40 MW worst-case platform fire, assessed over a 10-minute emergency scenario.
Fire source
40 MW
Scenario duration
10 minutes
Jet fans
60 × 5,000 CFM
Visibility criterion
≥ 5 m at 1.7 m
Project summary
This study assessed smoke extraction and movement across a railway station dome platform under a defined fire scenario, comparing conditions with and without jet fans.
Results include smoke spread, visibility at occupant height, temperature and velocity distributions over the 10-minute scenario.
Fire source
40 MW, 10-minute duration
Jet fans
60 units, 5,000 CFM each
Fan grid spacing
40 m × 20 m
Tenability criterion
Visibility ≥ 5 m at 1.7 m height
Software
FDS / Smokeview
Outputs
Smoke spread, visibility, temperature and velocity distributions
01 / Context
HyperCurve Solutions Private Limited carried out a fire and smoke simulation study for a railway station dome platform to assess jet-fan smoke extraction during a 40 MW worst-case platform fire. The study reviewed smoke spread, visibility, temperature and air velocity throughout a 10-minute emergency scenario using FDS/Smokeview.
02 / Scope
The study compared smoke behaviour with and without jet fans, reviewed visibility at occupant height, examined temperature near the fire source, and assessed the airflow created by the smoke plume and fan arrangement. The central design question was whether the jet-fan configuration could contain and redirect smoke towards extraction routes while maintaining the stated visibility criterion across most of the platform.
Model preparation
The model represents the railway station platform and dome geometry, with the fire source located at mid-platform for Case I. The report specifies a 40 MW fire with a 10-minute duration. It identifies 60 jet fans, each rated at 5,000 CFM, arranged on a 40 m × 20 m grid. The stated visibility tenability criterion is at least 5 m at 1.7 m above floor level.
Simulation setup
The platform model and configuration views show the overall platform geometry, close-up jet-fan placement, the mid-platform fire location and the jet-fan grid. These model views provide the spatial context for interpreting smoke movement and airflow across the platform.
Fire source
40 MW
Jet fans
60 × 5,000 CFM
Fan grid
40 m × 20 m
Simulation results
The report compares smoke spread at 50 seconds and 300 seconds for a baseline case without jet fans and a case with jet fans active.
The baseline case shows smoke spreading freely across the platform.
With jet fans operating, smoke remains more contained and is pulled towards extraction points rather than spreading freely across the platform.
Tenability
Visibility contours are evaluated at 1.7 m above floor level.
The report states that visibility drops sharply near the fire source by 600 seconds, while the required 5 m minimum is maintained across most of the platform.
Thermal behaviour
Temperature contours at 50 seconds and 600 seconds show the thermal impact of the fire over time.
The report states that peak temperatures remain localised near the fire source and that surrounding platform areas remain within the limits described as safe in the source report, including at 600 seconds.
Airflow behaviour
The velocity results show high-velocity flow of up to 5 m/s directly above the fire, driven by buoyancy.
The plume strikes the roof and deflects sideways, consistent with the smoke-plume behaviour described in the report.
Engineering interpretation
These findings summarise the supplied report's stated simulation results. They are not an independent validation of measured site performance.
01
The 60-fan configuration at 5,000 CFM per fan and 40 m × 20 m spacing contains smoke and redirects it towards extraction points, compared with the no-fan baseline.
02
Visibility remains above the 5 m criterion at 1.7 m across most of the platform during the 10-minute scenario, dropping sharply only near the fire source.
03
Peak temperatures and high-velocity plume flow stay concentrated around the fire region, with surrounding platform areas within the limits stated in the report.
The report concludes that the current configuration meets its stated tenability requirements for the modelled 40 MW scenario. Final design validation and applicable code-compliance review should still be based on the complete project requirements and approval process.
Project outputs
The study provides model views and visual result outputs to review smoke movement, visibility and thermal conditions on the platform.