Case Studies

TOBB Twin Towers, which belong to the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, consist of two 140-meter-high blocks with 34 floors and a multi-floor complex located right next to the towers on the Eskişehir Road in Ankara. As one of the largest buildings in Turkey, the TOBB Twin Towers stand out as one of the structures where the requirements for safety of life and property are required to be fulfilled at the highest level in terms of both their technological level and human density.

Role of EEC

The Fire Alarm System of the TOBB Twin Towers was designed and installed by EEC. In this project, EEC used the Edwards EST3 control panels and the Signature Series detection products developed by its partner UTC Security Company.

Technical Approach

The Signature Series is a high-quality product family consisting of microprocessor-controlled and algorithm-based detectors and auxiliary field components, combining very high false-alarm immunity with quick alarm capability. The product includes detection components with the ability to make decisions with fire algorithms obtained after long test processes, and has unique survival characteristics. The EST3 control panels can easily fulfill the complex fire response strategies and integration requirements with their software that have powerful networking characteristics and flexible programming capabilities.

Retrofit Application

The fire alarm system, which had been previously installed at the TOBB Twin Towers and which were completely out of order, was completely replaced by using the existing cable infrastructure, and new sections were added to this renovated system. EEC, which has tested the superior Signature communication technology that can operate with almost any type of cable in many similar projects previously, offered, guaranteed and undertook the retrofit application for the TOBB Twin Towers without any hesitation, and ensured significant cable installation cost savings. The result is completely successful and satisfactory.

In the system, 11 EST3 Range Network Fire Alarm Panels (with 88 loops, capacity of 22.000 addresses) operate as a network, and the system is monitored and controlled through the FireWorks Fire Alarm Computer and Graphic Monitoring Software available in the communication hub. There are some 10.000 addressable devices in the system, including up to 6000 detectors and some 4000 monitoring/control modules.

Product Technology

The UTC Edwards Signature Series is a high-quality system that represents the most advanced phases of fire and security technologies, capable of executing all foreseen and foreseeable emergency operations, in the most convenient way for the TOBB Twin Towers. The main properties and functionalities provided by this system can be summarized as follows:

1. Ability to make decisions on its own: The micro-processor available in each detector decides autonomously whether the changes that it detects correspond to a fire situation, by using the fire algorithms obtained as a result of previous fire tests and pre-loaded in its memory. In this solution, which is a "distributed intelligence" application, both the data processing capacity for each detector increases tremendously, and it is possible for the detector to switch to the alarm status without having to communicate with the fire control panel. Even if its communication with the control panel is interrupted, a detector can switch to the alarm status as long as the 24V supply is available, and activate the alarm sirens and relays connected to the relevant loop.
2. Multi-sensor detection: In the detectors, two or three sensors (optical + temperature or optical + ionization + temperature) placed in the same detector are monitored together, and the interaction of all different detections with each other is processed with the algorithms in the memory, and it is possible to take both quite steady and quite quick decisions.
3. Quick communication with the control panel: As the decision-making process is executed within the detector, the detector that switches into the alarm status can immediately notify the situation to the control panel. As in this application, even in larger systems, the rate of occurrence of an alarm status on the control panel remains below 0.75 seconds.
4. Ability to operate simply with unshielded cables: No special cables are required, the system can operate with almost any type of cable. The system can also operate as Class B, it is even possible to create branches with up to 124 T-type connections on one loop. With these characteristics, the system makes it possible to retrofit obsolete conventional or analogue addressable systems by using existing cable infrastructures.
5. Strong Pollution Compensation: Long-term changes in the ambient conditions have almost no effects on detection by the Signature Series detectors. Each detector monitors the factors such as pollution, humidity and aging that develop over time, and records them in its memory and refreshes the detection thresholds according to this information. This feature eliminates the need for calibration of the detectors according to the NFPA 72. The UL Labs certifies that the Signature Series detectors do not require calibration.
6. Electronic addressing: Thanks to the microprocessor available in each detector in the system, the detector has its own embedded and different identity, and the addressing is done automatically by the control panel.
7. Possibility of product development and implementation of advanced technologies: As the operating characteristics of the detectors and the control panel are not interconnected, it is possible to implement the developments in technology independently on both sides. For example, if more advanced fire algorithms are created, these can be immediately reflected to the detectors, and even old detectors can be upgraded. Likewise, improvements such as quicker information processing, programming, etc. can be made on the control panels without being affected by detectors.
8. Multi-protocol support: As the EST3 control panels support all existing building technology communication protocols, this support ensures great benefits both in terms of integration opportunities in the current situation and in terms of maintaining the functionality of the system for the future. By using the EST3 Gateway, a number of communication protocols such as Lonworks, BacNet, Modbus, Profibus can be easily connected to the same devices.

Relationships with Other Systems and Advanced Integration

The fire detection and alarm system in the TOBB Twin Towers operates in integration with the other mechanical and electromechanical systems according to the emergency response strategy and scenarios. The system, which transmits the information about all addressable devices and the system to the higher automation system at a point level through a communication protocol, takes all control in case of a fire and gets ahead of other systems.

Emergency smoke control integration is executed with the control of air handling units, fire dampers, smoke removal fans and stairwell pressurization fans, which are part of the ventilation system, and the smoke in the fire area is removed from the building without spreading to the other safe areas. Also, the control of the stairwell pressurization fans, which were installed to keep the stairs with escape routes clean in terms of smoke, is executed to ensure the safe evacuation of people.

The status of the flow switches, line shut-off valves and pumps in the Water Extinguishing System is continuously monitored with the Signature Series single-duct monitoring modules, while inspecting whether the system is smooth and ready to operate before a real fire occurs, the operation of the water extinguishing system in case of fire is monitored.