Feature

Smoke control: Upgrading the rail commuter experience

As half a million Tube passengers travel through central London every day, the capital’s jam-packed train carriages are already at overcapacity. Transport for London (TfL)’s Crossrail project needed to ensure that all standards for smoke ventilation were met.

02/11/2020 11:25:58

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To put the right smoke control system in place, Kernow Controls and Intecre turned to Beckhoff’s simulation technology. With this, the proposed controls installation was signed off the first time – a rarity in
today’s strictly regulated rail industry.

London’s Elizabeth line, which aims to serve 200 million people a year, includes ten newly built and 30 upgraded stations. These span more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) from
Reading to Heathrow. Kernow Controls, a buildings control specialist, was brought in to deliver the scheme design for the smoke control systems’ (SCS) automation solution at Whitechapel Station.

“A correctly working SCS redirects hazardous smoke
and fumes in the instance of a building fire, to ensure a smoke-free pathway for first responders, fire officials and members of the public,” said Drew Dorling, Managing Director of Kernow Controls.

“There’s an
added complexity here, as the SCSs need to be integrated with the Crossrail control centre for remote override and control. Responses to events must be coordinated on a system-wide level.”

Read the full article in the November issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.