Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Applications for Car Parking Areas
Industrial carbon monoxide detectors supplied by Furkan Engineering are used in enclosed car parking areas to help maintain safe air quality. When carbon monoxide concentration rises to levels that may be harmful to human health, jet-fans or ventilation systems can be activated automatically to remove polluted air and improve the overall air environment inside the parking area.
In enclosed car parks, the accepted maximum carbon monoxide concentration is generally considered to be around 60 ppm. However, depending on the number of vehicles, traffic flow, engine running periods and poorly maintained vehicles that emit higher levels of exhaust gases, CO concentration may easily rise well above this level.
Industrial carbon monoxide detectors can typically be adjusted across a wide range such as 0–1000 ppm and may be supplied with dual alarm outputs. This allows designers to define a first and second alarm threshold. For example, at a first alarm level such as 30 ppm, the system can start the jet-fan ventilation at low speed to improve air quality. At a second alarm level such as 100 ppm, where the situation may indicate a serious toxic gas accumulation or even a fire-related smoke condition, the jet-fan system can be switched to high speed to support smoke and carbon monoxide exhaust while also sending an alarm signal to the fire detection system.
Why Carbon Monoxide and Fire Detection Are Important in Jet-Fan Ventilation Systems
Enclosed car park ventilation systems have two primary objectives. The first is to remove polluted exhaust gases and bring fresh air into the parking area during daily operation. The second is to control heat and smoke movement during a fire, helping reduce excessive temperature rise and improving visibility for firefighters and emergency intervention teams.
One traditional method of ventilating enclosed car parks uses duct systems with air openings distributed throughout the parking structure. Another modern approach is the jet-fan ventilation system, where air is directed and pushed through the parking area without relying on extensive ductwork.
According to internationally accepted design principles, in enclosed car parks where jet-fan ventilation is used, the fire and toxic gas detection layout should be considered together with smoke control zones. In many designs, a fire control zone of approximately 2000 m² is taken as a reference for planning purposes.
Advantages of Jet-Fan Ventilation Systems
- Jet-fan systems control air movement in the desired direction. Since there is no need for large ventilation ducts, dampers and multiple air grilles in the same way as conventional systems, installation costs can often be reduced.
- Conventional ventilation systems mainly provide smoke extraction, whereas jet-fan systems not only assist with smoke removal but also help control smoke propagation and airflow distribution. This reduces the spread of smoke to areas away from the fire source and improves visibility for emergency response teams.
- Because jet-fan systems do not require large overhead duct routes, they are especially advantageous in low-ceiling parking structures by allowing more usable clearance for vehicles.
- Jet-fan systems can provide a more homogeneous daily ventilation effect and contribute to better overall air quality in enclosed parking areas.
Design Criteria for Jet-Fan Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Exhaust Systems
- The location of smoke exhaust shafts should be designed with escape staircases and evacuation routes in mind.
- When designing addressable fire detection and alarm systems for enclosed car parks, fire control zones should generally be planned on a floor-by-floor basis.
- Each main exhaust fan should be supplied independently from a backed-up power source to improve system reliability.
- Power and control cables feeding jet-fan systems should be selected as fire-resistant cables with at least 60 minutes fire resistance where required by the project design.
- Beams and columns should not create excessive turbulence that would negatively affect smoke movement. Typical design guidance includes maintaining sufficient clearance between structural beams and jet-fans, such as at least 0.5 m at the inlet side and 2 m at the outlet side.
- The air volume intended to be driven by jet-fans should not exceed the effective capacity of the jet-fan arrangement.
Integrated Car Park CO Monitoring Concept
In a well-designed enclosed car park, carbon monoxide detectors, jet-fans, main exhaust fans and fire alarm systems should work as coordinated parts of one safety concept. During normal operation, CO detectors monitor toxic gas accumulation caused by vehicle exhaust and activate staged ventilation responses. During emergency conditions, the same infrastructure can support smoke control strategies and help emergency teams intervene more effectively.
This staged control philosophy improves daily air quality, reduces unnecessary energy consumption by avoiding full-speed fan operation at all times, and provides a more intelligent response when gas concentration rises above normal safe limits.
