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Like many undergraduate engineering students, Leah Cooke used her industry internship as an opportunity to apply her knowledge and skills in a real-world environment, not realising that it would also lay the foundation for her honours thesis.

鈥淚 knew that I wanted to do my thesis in fluid mechanics after my summer internship in fire protection,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檓 analysing different fluid flows specifically in a fire scenario. Mechanical engineering has quite a large focus on fluid mechanics in different applications, so by analysing it in this context I鈥檓 able to use pre-existing mathematical models.鈥�

Leah鈥檚 focus is the air curtain, a unique device that uses a jet of air to prevent smoke flow rather than relying on a physical barricade.

鈥淎n air curtain doesn鈥檛 require a physical barrier to stop the smoke flow through different regions, meaning that people can escape a fire unobstructed instead of stopping at a doorway or reaching a complete blockage,鈥� she said.

鈥淭he air curtain doesn鈥檛 destabilise when people pass through, which means that it still effectively stops smoke flow, reducing the time people spend in smoke filled areas.鈥�

Leah hopes the air curtain could have significant implications for fire safety, especially in Sydney鈥檚 ever-growing collection of apartment buildings.

鈥淚t would be most effective in either tunnels or corridors or in doorways, where there is a clear opening which can feasibly be protected,鈥� she added.

鈥淭his allows a safer place for people to queue while waiting to enter fire stairs or allow them to exit a tunnel before they are affected by the smoke.鈥澛�