Abort Gate

An Abort Gate is a high-speed damper that contains a spring assisted blade that is usually held in place by an electromagnet. It is used to divert sparks, flames, burning material, smoke, and combustion gases out of the pneumatic system to a safe location.

Abort Gates are usually activated by spark detectors mounted on the ductwork upstream of the unit. Upon detection of IR by the spark detector, the system diverts the air flow through the discharge hood of the gate. The reaction time will vary somewhat depending upon the diameter of the duct however most units will react within 1/2 second (500 milliseconds).

Abort Gates are typically installed in return air or clean air ducts that recycle air back into the building from a dust collector. In some applications they can be located upstream of the dust collector so that they can be used to prevent any spark or burning ember from reaching the collector. Ideally, Abort Gates should be installed downstream of any fan or air moving device so that any ignition sources or dangerous elements in the air stream can be purged from the pneumatic system.

A variety of options are available to allow the user to customize the gate to meet the requirements of the specific application. Such options include:

• Discharge hood extensions
• Electrical reset features
• Positioning options of the control panel and hood direction
• Support platforms

Different system designs are possible for the use of the gates. For further information on the applications for Abort Gates, see NFPA Standards 664 and 654.