Safe door opening even if pressure differences exist
High pressure differences in tunnels can make it difficult to open escape and service doors.
Pressure relief system from Hodapp for safe door opening under extreme conditions Photo: Hodapp GmbH & Co. KG
The pressure relief system developed by Hodapp ensures that doors can be opened reliably even under extreme conditions - a significant contribution to operational safety and accessibility. The system fulfils the requirements of German TL/ TP TTT (2012) and EABT 80/100 (2019) regulations and recommendations. Even with differential pressures of up to 400 Pa, the door opening force remains below 80 N. Tests in accordance with EN 1634-1 and expert reports from civil engineering materials testing institutes MPA NRW and MPA Braunschweig confirm functional reliability. Integration is possible both in new construction and in existing door systems.
The electromechanical principle initially opens the door by around 120 mm to equalise the pressure. It can then be opened fully with little force. The entire process takes a maximum of 1.2 seconds. There is a battery backup to ensure operation even in the event of a power failure and functional checks can be carried out via the tunnel control centre. To improve accessibility, a 90° opening aid enables automatic opening even when there is counterpressure.
Supplementary solutions reduce the operating force on the door handle to just 25 N and fulfil the requirements of EN 12217. The systems are available for single and double-leaf swing or sliding doors made of steel or stainless steel; achieve fire resistance classes up to EI2 120 and are pressure-resistant up to ±10 kPa. Typical areas of application are high-speed railway and road tunnels as well as industrial facilities with varying pressure loads.