Why gravity-fail matters in Smoke & Fire Curtains and how Kent Smoke & Fire Curtains deliver dependable performance
Gravity Fail Safe Mechanism In Smoke and Fire Curtains
In modern fire safety engineering, passive fire barriers such as smoke and fire curtains are essential for controlling the spread of fire and toxic smoke, preserving safe evacuation routes, and protecting property. But the real technical challenge lies in ensuring these systems perform independent of volatile external power sources, especially during the critical early minutes of a fire event when mains power or even backups can fail.
Will it deploy when power is lost—exactly when the building needs it most?
That’s why a Total Gravity-Fail Safe (TGFS) strategy is widely regarded as the most robust, architecturally compatible approach. By using gravity as the primary deployment force, TGFS curtains are designed to close reliably during a fire event, even during a complete mains failure without depending on motor power or battery endurance.
Kent Smoke & Fire Curtains are engineered around this principle across the Fire & Smoke curtain range.
What “Total Gravity-Fail Safe” means in practice
A TGFS curtain is held in the retracted position during normal operation, and releases to descend under gravity when triggered by a fire signal or if electrical supply is compromised (as configured).
This design approach prioritizes fail-safe fire protection by using the most dependable “power source” available: gravity.
How a Fire / Smoke curtain works by Gravity Fail Safe?
Unlike motor-driven systems that must actively power down to deploy, a TGFS curtain uses a controlled gravity descent at a regulated speed to form a safe, stable barrier.
Typical deployment lifecycle
1. Normal operation
The curtain remains retracted inside the headbox and is held in position via motor tension.
2. Activation
On a fire alarm input (via the fire detection and alarm system) or loss of power (as designed), the holding force is removed.
3. Controlled descent under gravity
The curtain descends smoothly at a controlled speed (typically in the range of 0.15–0.6 m/s, project-dependent), forming an effective barrier without sudden drop or impact risk.
4. Battery back-up (optional — for nuisance prevention)
To prevent unwanted deployment during a temporary primary power loss without a fire alarm signal, a battery back-up option can be integrated to keep the curtain safely retracted until the main power supply is restored.
Result: predictable, dependable closure even in a complete power-loss scenario—this is the essence of Total Gravity-Fail Safe smoke and fire curtains.
Conclusion: Engineering certainty with Kent TGFS curtains
The Total Gravity-Fail Safe (TGFS) approach isn’t a theory, it’s proven fire safety engineering. For projects where smoke control, fire compartmentation, and protected evacuation routes are non-negotiable, and where power interruptions cannot be tolerated, Kent Smoke & Fire Curtains offer a definitive, gravity-fail-safe solution built for dependable deployment when it matters most.
ABIN VARUGHESE
Assistant Manager – Sales & Marketing
Call/ Whatsapp: +971506604689
