About Smoke
Artificial smoke is produced by heating a smoke fluid chemical above its boiling point within a heat exchanger. The fluid is then vaporised, and it is when the vapour exits the heat exchanger and mixes with the relatively colder atmosphere that rapid condensation of the vapour takes place, resulting in a visible smoke (or technically fog).
It is important that the vaporisation of the fluid within the heat exchanger is complete, otherwise the production of a 'wet' smoke, or a smoke with a very large particle size will result.
Conversely, it is important that the heat exchanger through which the smoke fluid is passed is not operating at too high a temperature, otherwise unpleasant and potentially hazardous pyrolysis products will be formed.
Depending on the type of smoke fluid being vaporised it may be necessary to use an inert propellant gas as a “carrier” for the fluid as it is heated within the heat exchanger.
Concept's machined range of heat exchangers produce a smoke or fog effect with a particle size an order of magnitude less than conventional smoke systems, giving significant benefits in terms of smoke concentrations required to achieve obscuration targets, health and safety, flammability and settling velocities of the resulting fog.
Demonstration movies
scroll through the slides,
click on a thumnail and
view the movies
Latest News
> view all articlesColt 4 Twin Turbo - New Product
Concept Smoke Systems are one of the leading smoke machine manufacturers... Read more >
ESS 2015
Concept are pleased to be exhibiting and supporting the Emergency Servic... Read more >
> view allTestimonials
Confined Space Rescue Program Manager - North Tree Fire
ViCount use in Hot Fire Trainer
The machine has performed flawlessly up to this point and I purchased the machine from you at least six or seven years ago.
I have to confess I have never cleaned the orifice with the drill as you mentioned.
Actually, after the install, I have never worked on the machine again which, I am sure, is at least neglect on my part.
We originally had two smoke generators in the trainer, one fore and one aft. The other machine (not Concepts) is quite a bit older
and it quit about two years ago but we found that the ViCount generated so much smoke we did not really need two machines.
The machine is protected from the heat of the trainer by a bulkhead with a port for the smoke to get through.
To give you an idea of the efficiency and quantity and the character of the smoke, the ceiling temperature inside the trainer as verified by two gauges reaches about 1300 degrees F. The smoke level inside the trainer is maintained quite adequately from the floor to about the
four and one half foot level but not much higher due to the temperature. We have found that it burns off at about 450 degrees F (230C).
Your smoke machine has trained hundreds of line Firefighters from all over the US including from major metropolitan Fire Departments such as Los Angeles County Fire, Pasadena Fire, San Jose Fire, Las Vegas Fire, Oakland Fire, Berkeley Fire, Sacramento Metro Fire, Cal Fire, and many federal agencies as well.
The training and experience those fire fighters receive in the intense heat and disorientingly smoky environment the ViCount helps create has without question saved lives and injuries as well as millions of dollars of property damage that may have occurred without the level of training
the ViCount helps provide.
Thank you for your help and support.
Best regards,
Mitch
Mitch Ward CIHM
NorthTree Fire
Confined Space Rescue Program Manager