Exciting news for our Cundall Poland office - our tunnel ventilation design has been nominated for the prestigious PASCAL 2024 Award. The award ceremony promotes engineering excellence, recognising innovative concepts in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning installations. It highlights the crucial role of mechanical engineers in the design process.
The tunnel, which became operational in June 2023, represents a long-awaited change for residents of northwest Poland as it connects the two islands of Uznam and Wolin in Świnoujście. The facility features several innovative ventilation solutions. The road tunnel utilises semi-transverse ventilation, ensuring the supply of fresh air and the efficient removal of smoke and pollutants resulting from the tunnel operations.
Kamil Feret, Mechanical Associate at Cundall and a leader of design team, commented, “It was an incredibly exciting experience to be part of such a historic project of strategic importance for Świnoujście and the West Pomeranian Region. After years of anticipation, the permanent connection of Świnoujście with the rest of Poland has become a fact. No more waiting in line for a ferry crossing. Driving through the tunnel, at a maximum speed of 50 km/h, now takes no more than three minutes. This link between the islands significantly simplifies life for residents."
"From an engineering perspective, designing the tunnel ventilation presented unique challenges that demanded innovative solutions. We conducted extensive CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations and detailed calculations, particularly for critical components such as evacuation gallery ventilation to ensure safe egress conditions, and the semi-traverse ventilation system for a tunnel exceeding 1000m in length. The process was thoroughly managed, with documentation divided into several packages what required close coordination with verifiers and external partners.”
The jury will select three projects from among the nominees, which will receive the main prize. The full list of nominated design offices is available here.
The award ceremony will take place on April 10, 2024, during VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING FORUM 2024 – the largest event for specialists in the ventilation and air conditioning industry, primarily targeting designers and equipment suppliers.
