The 9/F generator room at Hong Kong Polytechnic University was designed with several safety considerations in mind. The generator was located on an upper floor to prevent fire spread and minimize ventilation ducting. Adequate ventilation, space for maintenance, and raised concrete blocks were provided. Controls were concentrated for easy access. Emergency shutdown methods included breaking a glass box or tripping a suspended wire in high heat. Fire safety devices included a CO2 extinguisher and smoke detector connected to building controls.

1. BSE 216 site visit report
LOCATION: 9/F R CORE, HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
SITES 2: GENERATOR ROOM
Design considerations:
1. The emergency electricity generator located in a room on 9/F, which is at
the upper part of the building.
a. If a fire broke out in generator room,
the fire will not go to lower floor
easily. Due to the spreading
characteristic of fire is horizontality
and upward.
b. When the generator is operating, it
will generate lot of exhausted gas.
According to the environment policy, the ventilation outlet should have at least 5m
far away from any window, so the generator was put on such a high floor which can
avoid a long air duct installation.
2. Ventilation system of the generator room
a. There is a big ventilation duct installed at
inside the room, it can provide adequate
fresh cool air for the generator to release
heat.

2. 3. The emergency generator is installed in the
central of the room
a. It can provide adequate space for
whatever maintenance, heat
releaseor accomdate of the
emergency generator.

3. 4. Doorsill at the entry
a. A raised doorsill can prevent water flushing into the generator room, in
order to prevent any unnecessary damage.(我冇個門檻既圖)
5. Control panel concentrate at one wall
a. Control panels consentrated at one
wall, this design is to make user
easier to contorl the machnic,
because user did not have to move
around the room to overse different
feature of the control display panel.
6. Emergency shutdown device of the generator
a. When fire happen in the generator room, it is very danger to go inside and switch off
the generator. However, There are two method to do it instead of go into the room.
i. Method A, the generator can
be stopped by broken the red
box’s grass outside the
generator room and pull the
handle to cut off the oil
supply for the generator.

4. ii. Method B, there is a thin metal wire above the generator.When it bruned
due to the very high temperature ,the suspend mass will drop down and cut
the oil supply of the generator immedately.
wire
Suspended
mass
Connected here to cut of the oil supply
7. Raised concrete block

5. a. It can provide extra vibration resistance.
b. It can provide a thermal resistance between the next floor and the
generator.
c. If there is any water flushed into the room, this will provide extra water resistance
and prevent short circuit.

6. 8. Fire safety devices
a. There is a CO2 fire extinguisher
inside the room. If someone is in
room when the generator is on fire,
he can use it to fight the fire.
b. There is no other fire extinguish
equipment inside the generator
room. There are two reasons.
i. The emergency generator is
seldom used, it only will
operate when the electricity have been cut for a designated time
period.
ii. The generator is used to generate electricity power, if we using
water sprinkler inside the room, it will be very danger and also
damage the generator seriously.
c. There is smoke detector inside.
And it is directly connected to the
main building control system, so
that the security guard in the main
control room can know about the
situation immediately
9. Extra ventilation fan
An exhausted fan is also installed to keep the air in the room is flesh enough. It will
operation when the room temperture
reach a desginated point.

7. This is the senor and the switch box of the fan

8. 10. Battery and Charger
The Battery is located in a woodern
box to prevent eletric shock.
11. Warning notices
There are lot of notice to warn for the
dangerous.