1. Compliance Bottom Line (Avoidance and Acceptance)
Core Standards: International projects must follow EN 13637 (electrical control escape systems), BS 7273-4 (fire linkage interface), and IBC (clear width ≥ 813mm).
Risk Warning: Most 470mm narrow-channel speed gates in China cannot be the main evacuation exit; they are only suitable for auxiliary routes, otherwise there will be major acceptance risks.
2. Strategy Choice (Performance Trade-offs)
Fail-Open: The door stays open when a fire signal is triggered. Recommended for high-traffic areas as it maximizes evacuation efficiency, but make sure the door panels won’t spring back after power loss.
Free-Flow: The doors can be pushed open. The advantage is maintaining some order and can reset after power loss; the downside is that during panic stampedes, the force may not be enough to push them open.
Decision Basis: If a single channel needs to evacuate over 500 people during peak hours, the "fail-open" strategy must be used.
3. Linkage Hard Indicators (Reliability)
Response Time: Time from fire trigger to fully open door ≤ 10 seconds (IBC mandatory).
Redundant Design: The controller must have a passive dry contact for fire alarm integration and be equipped with a monitored UPS backup, ensuring the door can still open if mains power is cut off.
Execution Suggestions for the Client:
Contract Stage: Clearly require bidders to provide type test reports compliant with EN 13637; don’t accept just a "manufacturer statement" for acceptance.
Testing Phase: Must perform load tests with fire linkage (simulate real power-off signal simultaneously), not just no-load on/off tests. Fire compliance for speed gates is not just “adding a feature,” it’s “restructuring control system priorities.” For professionals, the core focus should always be on the integrity of standard certification and the uniqueness of control logic during emergencies.
