UDC 614.842.4
MODERN EARLY FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS
M. V. Savin, V. L. Zdor
All-Russian Research Institute of Fire Defense EMERCOM of Russia
A brief description of the various types of fire detectors is given, their positive qualities and shortcomings. The design and advantages of aspirating fire detectors are discussed in detail.
One of the most important elements Fire alarm systems are fire alarm broadcasters. They are divided depending on the type of physical fire factor to which they respond, and, accordingly, are classified into thermal, smoke, gas, flame, and combined detectors. In addition, depending on the configuration of the measuring zone, fire detectors are distinguished as point, multipoint and linear. A point fire detector responds to a fire factor controlled near its compact sensing element. A multipoint fire detector is characterized by a discrete arrangement of point sensitive elements in the measuring line. A linear fire detector is a detector whose geometric shape of the control zone has an extended section, that is, control environment is carried out along a certain line. Each type of fire detector has its own advantages and disadvantages. The combination of these properties determines the scope of their application. But still, all these detectors have one characteristic general disadvantage- this is the so-called “passive” scanning of the protected area. After all, they actually wait until the factors accompanying the fire (smoke, elevated temperature) themselves are in the detection field of the detector. In particular, a smoke fire detector will only issue an alarm when smoke enters the detector chamber, which significantly depends on the presence of air flows in the protected room.
Currently, aspiration fire detectors have begun to be actively introduced in our market. They represent the detector itself, consisting of a sensitive element and a signal processing circuit, which can be located both inside and outside the protected premises, and a system of intake pipelines through which air samples are transported from outside.
protected premises to the sensitive element of the aspirating fire detector.
Aspirating smoke detectors have several major advantages over traditional smoke detection systems. First of all, ensuring the delivery of air samples to the sensitive element, regardless of the presence of forced and natural air flows in the protected room.
Aspirating fire detectors provide so-called cumulative detection. As smoke spreads and disperses throughout a room, its concentration decreases and becomes increasingly difficult to detect by traditional means. Cumulative detection refers to the ability to draw air from many points within a protected area into a single detector. Aspirating fire detectors continuously take small amounts of air samples throughout the protected area and transfer them to the sensing element of the aspirating fire detector.
One of the service functions of modern aspiration fire detectors is the ability to continuously monitor the general dust level in the air, predicting and adjusting their operation in accordance with the realities of the protected object. This is another one of possible applications of this product- monitoring of indoor air purity. In addition, most detectors constantly analyze possible malfunctions in their operation (contamination in the tubes, clogged smoke suction openings, etc.).
Essentially, aspirating fire detectors are intelligent fire microstations. They, just like conventional fire alarm systems, include stationary and peripheral equipment. The peripheral equipment includes both a system of intake pipelines with smoke-suction capillary tubes and various
FIRE AND EXPLOSION SAFETY 6"2003
nal modules (Fig. 1), designed to perform functions such as providing a visual indication of the status of the aspirating detector in individual zones, setting up, checking and servicing, as well as programming any individual detector and the entire network as a whole.
Both conventional fire detectors (smoke or gas) (Fig. 2) and intelligent smoke detection systems using scanning laser technology (Fig. 3) can be used as a sensitive element of aspirating fire detectors.
Let us analyze the principle of operation of aspirating fire detectors using the example of detectors of the VESDA series from Vision Fire & Security. Air from the protected area is continuously sucked into the detector using a highly efficient fan (aspirator) through a system of intake piping (Fig. 4). A sample of this air is passed through filters. Dust and contamination are first removed before the sample enters the optical smoke detection chamber. Then, at the second stage of purification (if available), an additional supply of a portion of clean
air to prevent contamination of optical surfaces and ensure calibration stability and long service life of the aspirating detector. After the filter, the air sample enters the measuring chamber, in which the presence of smoke is detected. The signal is then processed and displayed using a linear scale indicator, alarm threshold indicators or a graphic display (depending on the detector modification). Further, aspiration detectors, through a relay or interface, can transmit this information to fire alarm control and fire control devices, to a central monitoring console or other external devices.
Fires that occur usually go through four stages: smoldering, visible smoke, flame and fire. In Fig. Figure 5 shows how tanning develops over time. Please note that the duration of the first stage - smoldering - provides more time to detect a potential fire and therefore control its spread before it causes significant damage and destruction. Traditional smoke detectors often detect smoke after a fire has already started, resulting in
t-stage: 2nd stage:
Smoldering Fire Visible
1 Traditional
3rd stage Flame
Stage 4! Fire I
VESDA Fire 2 (Fire extinguishing system turns on)
significant material damage. A number of aspirating fire detectors, due to their features, make it possible to detect a fire at the smoldering stage and recognize the process of its spread.
The scope of application of aspirating fire detectors is quite wide:
In warehouses;
In general supermarkets, which contain various volumes of inventory: from raw materials and wholesale goods to retail consumer goods and finished products;
In electronic data processing nodes such as Internet data centers, network management and similar systems that pose a significant fire hazard due to their high power requirements and density electronic circuits;
In cleanroom areas such as semiconductor manufacturing facilities, research and development facilities, pharmaceutical production capacity posing a significant fire hazard due to the constant supply of flammable materials;
In the energy industry, which uses various types of fuel to generate electricity.
Aspirating fire detectors with an air filtration system have a low probability of
the possibility of giving false alarms, which makes it possible to reduce significant material damage that could occur in the event of a false start of fire extinguishing systems, a shutdown of the technological process, etc.
At the same time, aspirating fire detectors can be used in buildings and premises with increased aesthetic requirements - these are modern offices, auditoriums, rehearsal rooms, lecture rooms, reading and conference rooms, meeting rooms, backrooms, foyers, halls, corridors, dressing rooms, as well as historical buildings, cathedrals, museums, exhibitions, art galleries, book depositories, archives.
Aspirating fire detectors can be used:
IN extreme conditions: at low temperatures, mechanical overloads and harsh operating conditions, since the intake piping system and the directly sensitive element of the detector can be installed in different rooms;
They can work either independently as individual means or as part of automatic systems for collecting and processing information about the situation and transmitting signals to external devices in different ways(via wires, radio channel, etc.);
As an effective means of generating a starting signal for the activation of fire extinguishing systems due to the presence of several alarm levels and an adjustable sensitivity range. In this case, to implement the algorithm for launching fire extinguishing equipment, it is assumed that there are two separate detection points that are necessary for the system to operate, that is, the presence of two separate aspirating fire detectors. Therefore, smoke detectors
aspiration type are a serious addition to the complex of measures to ensure the safety of premises along with traditional fire detectors, without in any way reducing the importance and capabilities of the latter.
FIRE EXPLOSION SAFETY 6"2003
Manufacturing company "Vision Fire & Security" "Securiton-Hekatron" "ESSER"
Characteristics Name of aspirating fire detector
VESDA Laser VESDA Laser PLUS SCANNER VESDA Laser COMPACT RAS ASD 515-1 RAS ASD XL ARS 70 LRS-S 700
Meals, V 18...30 18.30 18.30 20.28 18.38 24.30 18.30
Operating temperature, °C -20...+60 -20...+60 -20...+60 0...+60 0...+52 0...+50 -10.+60
Sensitivity, % 0.005.20 0.005.20 0.005.20 Determined by fire detector 0.005.1 Determined by fire detector 0.005.20
Smoke detection technology Laser Laser Laser Optical smoke detector Laser Optical smoke detector Laser
Maximum length pipes in the beam, m 200 200 50 60 60 80 200
Pipe diameter, mm 25 25 25 25/40 25/40 25 25
Hole diameter, mm 2.6 2.6 2.6 3.4 3.4 2.6 2.6
Maximum protected area, m2 2000 2000 500 800 800 1200 1600
Number of filters, pcs. 2 2 2 No No 1 2
Number of levels fire danger, PC. 4 4 2 1 4 1 4
Dimensions, mm 350 x 225 x 125 350 x 225 x 125 225 x 225 x 85 285 x 360 x 126 317 x 225 x 105 285 x 360 x 126 225 x 225 x 95
Weight, kg 4.0 4.0 1.9 2.7 3.4 2.7 3.5
Networking VESDANet (99 devices) VESDANet (99 devices) VESDANet (99 devices) No LaserNet (127 devices) No VESDANet (99 devices)
Auto-compensation mode AutoLearntm is programmable AutoLearntm is programmable AutoLearntm is programmable No Yes No Programmable
The aspiration fire detectors of the following leading Western companies are currently certified on the Russian market:
"Vision Fire & Security" (Australia) - aspiration smoke detectors of the VESDA Laser PLUS (Fig. 6), VESDA Laser SCANNER (Fig. 7), VESDA Laser COMPACT (Fig. 8) series;
"Schrack Seconet AG" (Austria) - aspiration smoke fire detectors RAS ASD
515-1 (FG030140), manufactured by Securiton-Hekatron, Germany (Fig. 9);
"Fittich AG" (Switzerland) - aspiration smoke fire detectors RAS ASD 515-1, manufactured by "Securiton-Hekatron", Germany;
"MINIMAX GmbH" (Germany) - aspiration fire detectors AMX 4002.
The table presents comparative characteristics of some types of aspirating fire detectors.
As you know, a day of data center downtime costs tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. For continuous operation, the data center must be protected from many hazards, including fire. In large American and European data centers, aspiration systems for early detection of fires are actively used for this purpose.
Specifics of fire detection in data centersA data center is a high-tech facility that consumes more electricity than a typical office. An important requirement for data centers is maintaining a certain indoor air temperature. This purpose is served by a special air conditioning system, which creates internal air flows between and inside the racks, ensuring the removal of excess heat and a comfortable temperature for equipment operation.
Such a complex system air conditioning requires a special approach to fire detection. The fact is that in the presence of strong air currents, conventional fire detectors are ineffective for detecting smoke or heat radiation. Smoke driven by air currents may not enter the smoke chamber of the detector. And if it does get into the chamber, then by that moment the maximum concentration of smoke in the room has been reached, so that when the detector is triggered, the spread of fire is already inevitable. Therefore, modern data centers use active aspiration fire alarm systems.
Currently, aspiration fire alarm systems are produced only abroad; their main manufacturers are Bosch, Safe Fire Detection, Securiton, System Sensor and Xtralis (it owns the Vesda and Icam equipment brands, the latter was recently purchased by it).
Systems of this class, for example, Vesda and Icam from Xtralis, Titanus from Bosch Security or aspiration detectors System Sensor of the same company, are already used in many countries around the world at facilities of this type, including in Russia.
| Historical reference In 1967, American researchers Ahlquist & Charlson first created a nephelometer device to measure air transparency and the degree of air pollution, allowing one to monitor the carbon dioxide content on city streets. This device was improved and released to the market in the United States. In 1970, Australia's CSIRO used the nephelometer in bushfire research. A little later, the CSIRO was contacted by the APO, the main postal department, with an order to study the problem of fire prevention in postal services. The purpose of the study was to find the most suitable technology for fire protection of telephone exchanges, computer rooms and cable tunnels. The sources of risk at these sites were cables that were heated by electric current or hot plates. In this study, CSIRO used nephelometers to monitor smoke levels in ventilation ducts. Subsequently, this research gave impetus to the development of a highly sensitive device capable of detecting smoke at the early stage of a fire. The release of an improved version of this device to the market was a huge leap in the development of early smoke detection systems. |
Principle of operation
Aspiration systems are early fire detection systems. As a rule, they have a modular architecture that allows the system to be adapted to specific operating conditions and building layout. The main components of such a system are a pipeline for drawing air from the controlled area and the detector itself, which can be placed anywhere inside or outside the protected premises.
PVC pipes are usually used as pipelines. Using adapters, angles, tees and other accessories, you can create flexible networks of pipelines for air intake, taking into account the characteristics of each individual room. In this case, the aspiration detector itself creates a vacuum in the piping system to ensure a continuous intake of air from the monitored area through specially made holes. These actively produced air samples pass through a detection chamber where they are tested for smoke particle content. In addition, for example, in the VESDA system, dust and contaminants are first removed from the air sample using a built-in filter, and then the sample is fed into the aspirating detector chamber. This prevents contamination of the camera's optical surfaces.
The air sample enters a calibrated chamber in the detector where a laser beam passes through it. When smoke particles are present in the air, light scatters within the chamber and is immediately detected by the highly sensitive receiving system (Fig. 1). The signal is then processed and displayed on a bar graph display, alarm threshold indicators and/or graphic display. The sensitivity of the detector can be adjusted and the air flow is continuously monitored for 
detection of pipeline damage.
Aspiration detectors are conventionally divided into two categories. The first is PIB (Point in the box) type detectors, in which conventional high-sensitivity smoke detectors are used as a detection chamber, for example, ASD-Pro or LASD from System Sensor with a sensitivity of 0.03 to 3.33%/m. The second group is aspiration detectors such as VESDA, Icam or Titanus, which have their own built-in smoke detection chambers with a sensitivity range from 0.005 to 20%/m for VESDA, from 0.001 to 20%/m for Icam and from 0.05 to 10%/m m at Titanus. We will consider only detectors of the second group, since they have the largest sensitivity range compared to PIB, which makes it possible to detect a fire at the wire melting stage and set the highest threshold for starting a gas fire extinguishing system in data center premises.
Features and Benefits
Classic fire alarm systems do not go off until there is smoldering or fire. At this stage of the fire, fighting the fire becomes difficult. The most important advantage aspiration systems is that they detect an incipient fire and provide early warning of a fire. The smoke detection camera's intelligent processor analyzes the data received and decides whether it matches any typical fire patterns. Wherein external factors, which can cause false positives are suppressed.
So, what are the main advantages of aspiration systems?
1. Reliable fire detection for early warning. Highly sensitive sensors detect a fire at its earliest stage - in the pyrolysis phase, even before visible smoke particles spread (for example, when a wire or other electronic element equipment). In most cases, such systems prevent significant material damage, since they quickly identify a failed element that can be de-energized, preventing an incipient fire from entering the active phase. In addition, aspiration systems make it possible not to activate an active (usually gas) fire extinguishing system and save the money required to recharge gas cylinders.
2. Reducing the number of false positives. Thanks to intelligent signal processing from sensors in aspiration systems, external factors such as dust, drafts or electrical interference, which often cause false alarms, are suppressed. This ensures higher sensitivity and reliability of the system even in rooms with high ceilings or extreme temperatures, as well as in conditions of pollution or high humidity.
3. Fast installation and easy maintenance. Detectors can be installed anywhere, both indoors and outdoors, to make them easier for service technicians to access. Aspiration systems are invisible in the room, and their maintenance does not require high qualifications. Information about all faults, such as pipeline damage, filter contamination, etc., is displayed on the display screen. Thus, personnel do not have to spend a lot of time identifying system malfunctions; it can be serviced as information becomes available.
Basic and fundamental difference aspiration systems from conventional systems with passive smoke sensors - active sampling of air from communication and server cabinets of the data center, using a built-in fan operating on the principle of a vacuum cleaner. Another important difference is the higher sensitivity of the detectors, which makes it possible to detect smoke particles invisible to the human eye, with a concentration of 0.005%/m for the VESDA system, 0.001% for the Icam or 0.05% for the Titanus.
An important feature is the presence of a built-in (like the VESDA system) and/or external filter, where the intake air is cleaned. Such filters allow the operation of aspiration systems in heavily contaminated rooms without constant cleaning or replacement of laser chambers, which, in turn, increases the service life of the system and reduces its maintenance costs.
Areas of use
In some cases, the use of aspiration systems brings tangible results compared to conventional passive detectors. First of all, these are enterprises and companies where the continuity of production or business processes is of paramount importance, and downtime is unacceptable. These are, for example, telecommunication systems and server rooms of financial organizations, communal facilities and medical sterile rooms (operating rooms), energy and transport systems. Aspiration systems are also useful when it is necessary to prevent false activation of the active fire extinguishing system, leading to high costs time and money to restore the facility.
Aspiration systems are preferred in areas where smoke detection is difficult, such as high air flows or high atrium spaces (shopping malls, gyms, theaters, museums, etc.). They are also used in rooms where access for maintenance is impossible or difficult; They are optimal for protecting spaces behind suspended ceilings and under false floors, elevator shafts, industrial areas, air ducts, as well as prisons and other places of detention. Another area of application is in extreme environmental conditions: heavy dust, gas pollution, humidity, very high or very low temperatures (for example, in power plants, paper or furniture factories, auto repair shops, mines). Finally, aspiration systems are used if it is important to preserve the design of the room and smoke detection devices need to be hidden.
Construction of an aspiration system in a data center
As a rule, data center equipment is located in closed cabinets, so the most effective solution to protect these areas is to take samples from cabinets. In the case of aspiration systems in data centers, tubes with suction holes are routed over racks with installed equipment. The flexible tubing system allows sampling both above and inside cabinets using capillaries, providing the most reliable smoke detection in fully enclosed cabinets, as well as in cabinets with top ventilation (Figure 2).
 |
 |
 How much does fire protection cost? Solution cost for fire protection of a specific data center depends on the volume and area of the premises, as well as on the number of separately protected system components. In any case, this cost does not exceed 1% of the cost of equipment installed in the data center. For example, the price of a 15-channel Icam detector, capable of protecting 15 racks of equipment, is 10-11 thousand euros, the deviceVESDA VLP, which can protect up to 2000 sq.m., costs 4-5 thousand euros, and Titanus protects up to 400 sq.m. and costs 2000-4000 euros. |
The Titanus system has a ROOM-IDENT function that provides early fire detection and location. One detector can monitor up to five rooms or five racks using only one tube. The process of determining the source of fire by the ROOM-IDENT system includes four stages, and the result is displayed on the detector.
Stage 1(Normal Mode): The piping is used to collect and evaluate air samples in multiple rooms.
Stage 2(early fire detection): air suction and analysis. If smoke is present, an alarm will immediately sound for early response.
Stage 3(reverse circulation): when the alarm signal is activated, the suction fan is turned off and the second, discharge fan is turned on, blowing all smoke particles out of the pipeline in the opposite direction.
Stage 4(location determination): after the pipeline is purged, the direction of air movement changes again. Based on measurements of the time it took for smoke particles to reach the detection module, the system determines the location of the fire.
Using a flexible piping system, with a single VESDA sensor it is possible, for example, to monitor the space not only above the racks, but also behind the false ceiling and false floor, as well as cable trays, which are found in any data center and are often a source of fire. In addition, VESDA system detectors are built into a rack, which saves space and ensures the design uniformity of all equipment in the data center.
Another key moment organizing a reliable fire detection system - air intake directly from the supply and exhaust ventilation grille of the room. The resulting smoke inevitably enters the air flow, so installing a pipe system with intake holes on the air return grille of the circulation system ensures instant detection of an incipient fire at a very early stage.
Taking air samples directly next to the exhaust ventilation grille allows you to catch smoke particles in the air even if the created air flows have bypassed all other intake pipes in the room. This is due to the fact that through exhaust ventilation all the air contained in the room circulates, which means that not a single particle of smoke contained in the air will pass past the intake opening (Fig. 3).
The ability to set different levels of fire danger allows you to program the system for appropriate reactions at different stages of fire development, for example, turning off air conditioning equipment or starting active fire extinguishing systems. For example, you can set several pre-alarm thresholds or the highest sensitivity to determine the moment of melting of equipment elements. If this sensitivity threshold is exceeded, a pre-alarm signal will be transmitted to the fire station so that personnel can identify the melting point and turn off the power to the equipment, preventing the spread of the fire.
You can also set the sensitivity to medium, and the system will detect the moment of heavy smoke in the room, when it is difficult to find the place or equipment that is causing the smoke. If this sensitivity threshold is exceeded, you can program the system to turn off the air conditioners. The lowest sensitivity is set for the level of smoke in the room, when it is impossible to prevent further spread of the fire without active fire extinguishing systems. When this sensitivity threshold is reached, the gas fire extinguishing system is programmed to turn on (Fig. 4).
Turning on fire extinguishing systems is the second stage of preventing the spread of fire in a data center, when the development of a fire can no longer be stopped using simple actions: turning off a smoking server, air conditioning systems, etc. For active fire extinguishing, as a rule, gas fire extinguishing systems are used, using two principles for organizing fire extinguishing in a data center. The first is general gas fire extinguishing, when the total area of the data center is extinguished. The second is rack gas fire extinguishing, when a separate rack is extinguished. The latter principle applies to racks with special-purpose equipment, where data loss will cost more than installing and operating a fire suppression system. But this is a topic for a separate article.
Timely detection of a fire in a data center can prevent the loss of equipment and critical data, as well as forced downtime, associated with financial and material costs for the company. Investing in a reliable data center fire alarm system ensures that an organization is protected from future costs of rebuilding electronic equipment and information lost in a fire. Sometimes these financial losses are incomparably greater than the cost of an early fire detection system.
FOTObank 
Infrared linear smoke detector consisting of an emitter and receiver 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Laser linear smoke detector with receiver and transmitter - in one housing - and reflector 
Optical open flame detectors "Pulsar" from KB "PRIBOR" with a sensor built into the control device 
with remote sensor 
Non-addressable point smoke detectors of domestic production: (IP 212-3SU, DIP 54-T, DIP 3-M3) 
Domestic thermal addressless detectors (MAK-1, IP 101-1A, IP 103-31) 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Point smoke "intelligent" detector of the "Pro" series 
150 years ago, the tower was the most effective means of detecting fire 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Combined smoke-heat detectors - addressable 
SYSTEM SENSOR
intellectual 
SYSTEM SENSOR
addressless 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Thermal maximum differential addressless detector of the "Eco" series 
Addressless manual call points with “button” and rotary knob 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Addressable analog manual call point "Eco" series 
Addressless smoke and thermal maximum detectors from APOLLO 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Addressable analogue detectors - point smoke; 
SYSTEM SENSOR
maximum differential Domestic autonomous smoke detectors alarm circuit based on autonomous smoke detectors 
: (IP 212-50, Agat, IP 212-43M) 
(Agate) 
Addressless fire alarm circuit 
Remote control for measuring and monitoring the parameters of “smart” sensors 
SYSTEM SENSOR
Laser tester for remote testing of smart smoke detectors
In the previous issue of the magazine we talked about primary funds ah firefighting. But they should be activated only after detecting a fire. What happens if a starting fire is not detected in time? That's right, a big and irreparable disaster will happen. Therefore, today we will talk about modern means of automatic fire detection at the earliest stage of its occurrence - fire alarm systems
Who should detect a fire?
About 150 years ago, the most effective means of detecting a fire was the fire tower - the tallest building in the city. With warning means it was even simpler - run out into the street and shout loudly: “Fire!” Everyone who heard it was obliged to run to extinguish it - “some with a hook, some with a bucket.”
Naturally, these means are a thing of the past. In order to detect a fire at its earliest stage, when it is called a fire, they are now used modern systems detection and fire alarm systems (FAS). They are designed for round-the-clock monitoring of a protected facility and alerting the owner about the first signs of fire or smoke. To create such systems, the following are used: detection devices - fire sensors (it would be more correct to call them detectors), signal processing devices (reception and control devices - PKP) and executive equipment (warning equipment). They are produced by such companies as ESSER (Austria), Texecom and PYRONIX (Great Britain), System Sensor (Italy), Securiton (Switzerland), ESMI (Finland), Napco (USA), ADEMCO - a division of Honeywell (USA), as well as domestic "RUBEZH" (Saratov), "IVS-Signalspetsavtomatika" (Obninsk), NVP "BOLID" (Korolev), "ARGUS-SPECTR" and "IRSET-CENTER" (St. Petersburg), “Siberian Arsenal” (Novosibirsk), “Radiy” (Kasli), etc.
Fire detectors
They are the main elements of fire detection systems. First of all, the efficiency of the system depends on their sensitivity and noise immunity. Smoke, heat and open flame detection devices are commonly used in private homes. As a rule, they are all “threshold”, that is, they are triggered if the controlled parameter exceeds the specified value.
Smoke detectors. Smoke is the most characteristic feature fire at its earliest stage. By measuring the concentration of smoke in the air, the sensor “concludes” that there is a fire. Smoke detectors are divided into point and linear.
Spot Measurements are taken at the location where they are installed. In private housing, only photoelectric point detectors are used. A measuring chamber with a light source and a photodetector is hidden inside such a device. Smoke particles entering the chamber change the light transmission of the air and scatter the light flux. These changes are captured by the photodetector. But in different designs differently. In some, it records the general weakening of the light flux (if it is located strictly opposite the light source). In others - flux scattering (the photodetector is located at right angles to the light source). The first of the described devices are more sensitive, but less resistant to interference (for example, dust) and require frequent maintenance. The latter are slightly less sensitive, but more resistant to noise. They are mainly used when creating SPS in private housing. They are usually mounted under the ceiling, since hot gases and smoke rise upward. The area controlled by one smoke detector can be up to 80 m2. Even if the footage of the room in which the sensor is installed is much smaller than this value, to increase the reliability of fire detection, at least two fire detectors should be installed in it. When using suspended ceilings and laying power wiring behind them, it is necessary to protect the ceiling space with separate smoke detectors.
Let's discuss these issues using the example of point smoke detectors. The sensitivity of sensors can be high, medium and low, but must necessarily be in the range from 0.05 to 0.2 dB/m (it is in such units, converted using a rather complicated formula into volume percentages, that it is customary to measure sensitivity - a standard smoke sensor should operate if smoke at the place of its installation causes the light to weaken at a distance of 1 m by 1.1-4.5%). Some detectors have the ability to adjust sensitivity, which is done with a special switch installed on the back wall. It can be either two-position (switches from the upper limit directly to the lower limit) or three-position (switches from the upper limit to the lower through the middle, for example, in the “Profi” and Leonardo series from SYSTEM SENSOR). It is better to choose a detector with a three-position regulator. Why? Configured to the upper limit of sensitivity, the device reacts to the minimum smoke content in the air and can “trigger” not only when smoking in the room, but also when frying meat or operating a toaster in the kitchen (practically these are the same “false alarms”). The minimum sensitivity may not be enough - it seems to you that the sensor should work, but it stubbornly remains silent. Most likely, you will be satisfied with the average level of sensitivity. And a sensor with a two-position regulator lacks just that. Sensors of any type require periodic care, or rather, maintenance. Why is it necessary? It is clear that fumes and dust will settle on devices located under the ceiling. Moreover, these “delights” settle not only on the housings, but also inside the measuring chamber, weakening the luminous flux to which the device is configured and causing a so-called false positive. The sensor reacts to unsettled (floating in the air inside the chamber) dust particles in the same way as to smoke. A “false alarm” is a rather unpleasant phenomenon for owners: nothing burns, but the sensor persistently signals: “FIRE!” At the same time, the owners get nervous and rack their brains: “What if something is really burning in the house, but we don’t notice?! We should check everything again!” To prevent dust from getting inside the measuring chamber, manufacturers enclose it with a rather complex, almost labyrinthine structure and complicate the geometry of the housing, thereby reducing the likelihood of “false positives.” The settled dust, of course, must be removed periodically. But if it costs nothing to wipe dust from the case, then it can be quite difficult to remove it from the “labyrinth” enclosing the measuring chamber. And if you wipe the optics, even more so, if you overdo it, you can disrupt the alignment (the optics in this case are very miniature). In general, it is better to entrust care to specialists who will periodically come to your home.
Linear smoke detectors. consist of two elements that outwardly resemble CCTV cameras - an emitter and a receiver-converter. They are installed opposite each other on opposite walls rooms ("IPDL" from "Poliservice", price - $95; "SPEC-2210" from "SPEC", price - $230; "6424" from System Sensor, price $540). IN Lately models have appeared in which both elements are combined in a common housing - in this case, there is a reflector opposite the emitter (“6200” and “6500” from System Sensor). The emitter can be either infrared or laser, operating in the visible range of red light. The appearance of smoke in the space between the transmitter and receiver (or between the transceiver and reflector) causes a weakening of the received light flux. The magnitude of this attenuation is recorded by the receiver-converter. And if the set threshold is exceeded, it generates a “Fire” signal.
Such sensors are beneficial only for large rooms, since they detect smoke in an area from 10 to 100 m long and from 9 to 18 m wide (that is, they provide control of an area from 90 to 1000-2000 m2). In general, one linear detector is quite capable of replacing a dozen point detectors, which can be beneficial not only economically, but also from the point of view of room design. But there are also disadvantages. The response time of the devices depends on the volume and even the configuration of the room. “False alarms” can be caused by sudden changes in direct and reflected light, lightning flashes, as well as changes in the relative position of parts.
Thermal fire detectors. Sensitive elements of heat detectors can be: bimetallic plates (for example, in “IP-103-5” from “KompleksTroyservis”; “IP 101-1A” from “Siberian Arsenal”), semiconductor thermistors, etc.
Based on their operating principle, heat detectors are divided into passive (contact) and active (electronic). Passive ones do not consume electricity and function as follows: when the temperature in the room reaches critical (about 70 C), the sensitive element either generates a certain signal (due to the thermoelectric effect) or breaks/closes the contact of the electrical circuit, thereby giving an alarm signal. Active devices consume electricity, but they provide information not only about the achievement of a critical temperature in the protected area, but, most importantly, about changes in the rate of temperature increase. They are usually called differential detectors. Inside their case there is not one sensitive element, but two - one is in direct contact with the external environment, the other is hidden inside the case. If the temperature during a fire rises quickly, the device records the difference in the readings of the sensitive elements and sends an alarm signal to the control panel ("MAK-DM" from NPP "Spetsinformatika", Moscow, price - 215 rubles; "IP 115 - 1" from " Magneto-Contact", Ryazan, price - 315 rubles; "5451E" from System Sensor). If the temperature rises slowly (then the temperature of the elements changes equally), the device detects that it has exceeded a threshold value and also sends an alarm.
As a result, if passive heat detectors are suitable only for detecting fires with an open flame, accompanied by a sharp excess of the threshold temperature (they are triggered when something is already burning), then differential ones give an alarm when there is no open flame yet, and the temperature has just begun grow, but at an “unacceptable” speed. This explains the fact that passive sensors have recently been used in alarm systems less and less (and this despite their cheapness - 15-20 rubles). Consumers prefer sensors, albeit more expensive, that are triggered at an earlier stage of a fire - differential ones. They are usually used where smoke detectors would give false alarms, for example in kitchens, showers, smoking rooms, etc. For areas such as boiler rooms, where a rapid increase in temperature is common occurrence, threshold detectors for a temperature of 70 C are more suitable - differential detectors here will give false alarms.
Optical open flame detectors. It is clear that any combustion source is a source of optical radiation in the range from infrared to ultraviolet. Detection of such radiation using a photodetector that has high spectral sensitivity in the ultraviolet or infrared region, but is insensitive to the visible part of the spectrum, is the task of optical open flame detectors.
On sale you can find mainly infrared optical devices (for example, a series of Pulsar sensors from KB Pribor, Yekaterinburg, price - from 1360 to 2200 rubles; Spectron from NPO SPECTRON). The sensor in them can be either built into the receiver-converter or remote. In the latter case, the sensor is installed directly in the controlled area and is connected to a receiver installed outside it via a fiber optic cable (length up to 20 m).
Optical detectors are low-inertia devices with minimal fire detection time. Detection angle - 90-120, range - from 13 to 32 m. They can detect both smoldering fires and open flames. Their disadvantage is that if the fire is obscured by building elements or furniture, the detector will not detect it. Such devices are indispensable where a flame can quickly arise without smoke (garages, storerooms, rooms with electrical appliances). For example, in garages where gasoline and other petroleum products can ignite, at least two such devices should be installed so that the car in the center does not block the flame.
Combined detectors They are a combined device of two sensors in one housing, controlled by one microcircuit. For example, the “IP212/101-2” detector of the “Eco” series from SYSTEM SENSOR (price - 320 rubles) combines the functions of a smoke optical-electronic and thermal maximum differential detector, due to which it is triggered in case of any fire (both accompanied by smoke and and smokeless, but with an increase in temperature). It should be noted that combined detectors of this type have recently become increasingly popular, since they relieve consumers of the need to install two types of sensors in one room - smoke and heat (this need often arises, for example, in garages). Naturally, such a device costs more than a separate smoke or heat device, but cheaper than both combined (smoke "IP212-58" - from 227 rubles, heat "IP101-23" - from 217 rubles).
On the one hand, a combined detector is a good thing, because it allows you to detect fires of various types - both smoldering and open flames, but smokeless. And in general, the fewer devices are installed, the less they need to be maintained. On the other hand, as is known, the reliability of any combined devices is always lower than monofunctional ones. So if you purchase a combined sensor, then it should be a highly reliable one from a well-known company.
Manual call points- these are “panic buttons” that serve to signal a fire “manually” (for example, if it is detected before the alarm system sensors “trigger”). They are installed on escape routes (in corridors, passages, on stairwells etc. at a height of 1.5 m from the floor level) at least one for each of the paths, and if necessary - in separate rooms. In multi-storey buildings, manual call points must be installed on all staircase landings each floor (NPB 88-2001*). Their installation sites must have artificial lighting.
Autonomous detectors. You can create a basic fire alarm by installing autonomous smoke detectors, for example, one for each room (if they are small). These devices are called autonomous because inside each of them there is an independent power source (Krona, Corundum - 9V battery), which must be changed periodically (about once a year). But the system is absolutely independent of the presence of supply voltage in the network (it is simply not necessary). In addition to the battery, a sensitive element (smoke sensor) and an alarm (siren) are hidden inside the case, emitting a sound with a volume level of 85-120 dB. After the sensor is triggered, the alarm will “scream” until you intervene or the battery runs out. Despite the fact that autonomous detectors are somewhat more expensive than conventional ones ("traditional"), which have neither a power source nor a siren, a fire alarm system based on autonomous sensors has a minimal cost, since it does not have wires, control panels and the necessary operation of the backup power system. The only type of maintenance that autonomous detectors require is periodic dust blowing. The disadvantage is that each sensor is triggered on its own and if you are at the far end of the house, you may not hear the alarm.
Until recently, only foreign-made autonomous detectors were available for sale: from Dicon, BRK (both in the USA) - $20-25, as well as several Chinese models - about $15 each. Currently, their serial production has also been mastered by the domestic industry: " IP212-50M" from "RUBEZH" (Saratov), price - 420 rubles; “DIP-47” from “Agata” (Obninsk), price 435 rubles, etc. Moreover, according to experts, the quality of these models is not inferior to imported ones and even surpasses them in some ways. For example, the device "IP212-43" ("DIP-43") from "IVS Signalspetsavtomatika" emits not one, but several types of light and sound signals - "Attention", "Fire", "External alarm", which can be used quite objectively assess the situation without yet seeing what happened. In addition, it gives a signal that the battery is low. You can also find autonomous co-produced detectors on sale. For example, the companies "KrilaK" (Ekaterinburg) and Kidde safety (USA) produce an autonomous fire detector "RE-9", the price is $ 18.
More “advanced” models of autonomous devices are also produced, by connecting them with a telephone (copper) wire you can get an alarm system (but without a control panel). The activation of one sensor in it triggers the others. These are, for example, detectors such as "EI 100C" (EI Ltd, Ireland, $ 17), "DIP-43M" ("IVS Signalspetsavtomatika", price - 576 rubles), etc. You are guaranteed to hear the signal of such a system, in no matter what room they are in. That's a plus. The downside is that it is difficult to figure out by ear where exactly the fire occurred. After all, everyone is buzzing at once!
Fire Alarm Systems
Typically, fire alarm systems consist of detectors of the types listed above, as well as a mandatory control panel (device) - control panel, which receives their signals. Experts usually call such systems traditional. Currently, there are three main types of such systems: non-addressable, addressable, and addressable-analog.
Non-addressable systems consist of threshold (smoke, heat, flame) and manual call points connected to the control panel by a wire (it is also called a line or loop). The sensors do not have their own email address, which would be reported to the remote control. As a result, when one of them is triggered, neither its number nor the room where it is located is marked on the remote control. Only the number of the loop (line) on which the triggered sensor is installed is recorded. As a result, the owners, in order to understand the situation, must quickly inspect all the premises protected by this line. To make it easier to determine the location of the fire, they try to lay one line into each room. But this path (increasing the number of lines) is not always suitable, since it significantly complicates the wiring diagram and increases the cost of installation work. That is why the use of non-addressable systems is considered appropriate only for small objects (less than 20 premises).
In the simplest address systems Threshold detectors are equipped with a so-called addressable module, which transmits its code via a loop to the control panel in the “FIRE” mode. This code determines the specific location where the signal is generated, which increases the speed of response to it. This, one might say, is the most cheap way transformation of an addressless system into an addressable one (for example, the “S2000-AP1” module from NVP “BOLID”, price $ 10). Another advantage of such a system is that you can run not just one line to each room, but create extended lines, saving wires and the labor of installers. However, a detector equipped with an addressable module cannot control its state and transmit a “FAULT” signal to the control panel, and if the addressable module fails, the control panel generally stops receiving signals from the sensor. Polling address systems they use a different type of control panel, and the communication between the detector and them becomes two-way. The control panel not only receives signals from detectors, but also automatically tests the presence of communication with them and their serviceability (carried out every few seconds). As a result, the reliability of the SPS is significantly increased, and you can always be sure that the sensors are in good working order and will work on time. And it’s easier to use survey-address systems - both for owners and installers. For example, temporary removal of one of the sensors (repair, maintenance) does not cause failure of the entire loop - the control panel simply notes during the next poll that the sensor is missing. In addition, interrogation systems make it possible to create not only a linear, but also a branched structure of loops (with the number of sensors of about 100), which in some cases makes it possible to simplify and, therefore, reduce the cost of installation work. To work in such systems, detectors can already be offered not only with precise three-position setting of the sensitivity level, but also with automatic compensation for dust in the smoke chamber (for example, Leonardo series sensors from System SENSOR, which the manufacturer calls “smart”).
Change No. 4 dated November 20. 2000 to SNiP 2.08.01-89* “RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS”
3.21. Apartment and dormitory premises (except for toilets, bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms, saunas) should be equipped with autonomous optical-electronic smoke detectors that meet the requirements of NPB 66-97, with protection category IP 40 (according to GOST 14254-96). Detectors are installed on the ceiling. It is allowed to install on walls and partitions of rooms no lower than 0.3 m from the ceiling and at a distance of at least 0.1 m from the upper edge of the detector's sensitive element from the ceiling.
SNiP 02/31/2001 “SINGLE-Apartment RESIDENTIAL HOUSES”
6.13. Houses with a height of three floors or more must be equipped with autonomous optical-electronic smoke detectors that meet the requirements of NPB - 66 - 97, or other detectors with similar characteristics. At least one fire detector must be installed on each floor of the house. Smoke detectors should not be installed in the kitchen, or in bathrooms, showers, toilets, etc.
“General provisions for technical requirements for the design of residential buildings with a height of more than 75 m”
(developed by the State Unitary Enterprise NIAC Moscow Architecture Committee, approved by the Moscow government). We will not quote this document, but will only say that in buildings with a height of 75 to 100 m, addressable fire alarm systems must be installed, and in buildings with a height of 100 to 150 m - addressable-analog systems, that is, systems that make it possible control of evacuating residents, for example, using light and sound alarms installed on staircases. An automatic fire extinguishing system must be installed above the entrances to apartments. Apartments must have primary fire extinguishing equipment and fire hydrants in bathrooms, bathrooms, and hallways. In addition to the fire warning system, video surveillance is required in houses (in staircases, to monitor the progress of evacuation).
Addressable analogue system. In it, the detector is not only periodically polled by the control panel, but also in response reports the value of the parameter it controls: temperature, smoke concentration, optical density of the medium, etc. That is, the control panel is here the center for collecting telemetric information. Based on the nature of changes in the monitored parameters reported by different detectors installed in the same room, it is the control panel, and not the detector (as in the case of addressable and addressless systems), that generates a fire signal, which increases the reliability of fire detection. There is an address- analog system and several more advantages compared to the interrogated address one: The number of loops can be reduced to one - a ring loop (it is sometimes called a loop), to which up to 99 automatic detectors + 99 manual call points, addressable alarms and modules for controlling ventilation, smoke removal, etc. are connected. d. Failure of a sensor or a broken wire will not disrupt the operation of the system - it will continue to poll sensors both on one side of the break and on the other, informing those who operate it which sensor has failed or between which sensors there has been a break. “Thresholds” for sensor activation can be set for each room and even changed depending on the time of day, day of the week, etc. For example, in the daytime, to eliminate false alarms from cigarette smoke, the sensitivity of certain smoke detectors can be automatically reduced, and at night the clock is again set to maximum (this algorithm is implemented, for example, in an alarm system with sensors of the “200” series from SYSTEM SENSOR).
Reception and control devices (panels) - PKP
It is the control panels that control the detection lines (loops) with sensors installed in them, provide indication of detected faults and fires, and command the lines of sound and light alarms (if there are any in the system). The control panel is powered by an AC mains voltage of 220 V, but uses an internal voltage of 12 or 24 V. In case of failure mains voltage it is supplied with backup batteries (1 or 2 12 V batteries).
To make it clear how the system functions, let's look at what happens when, for example, a smoke detector is triggered. In its normal state, it consumes a current of no more than 100 μA. But, having caught smoke, it goes into an alarming state - it turns on the LEDs, thereby increasing the current consumption to 30 mA (this value depends on the design of the remote control). The control panel, having detected increased current consumption, turns on LED fire indicators and activates an audible alarm. The fire detector remains locked in the “alarm” state, even if it no longer senses smoke, which ensures detection of a smoke zone if smoke enters the detector only periodically. The “alarm” signal can be “reset” only from the control panel by removing power from the detection line by pressing a special button. In addressless systems, the loop has its own “reset” button.
For each of the systems (addressless, addressable, addressable analogue) their own control panels are used, which differ in the set of functions they perform. If in non-addressable systems the devices simply mark the line on which the operation occurred (as in "Signal-20 and - 20P" from NVP "BOLID", price - 2350-2720 rubles; "Granit-24" from "Siberian Arsenal", price - 2800 rubles; "PPK-2" from "IVS SIGNALSPETSAVTOMATIKA", etc.), then in address schemes they provide automatic check of the serviceability of lines and sensors ("Raduga-2A" from "Argus-Spectrum", price - from 6340 rubles. ), and in addressable analogue systems they even detect the location of a line malfunction ("Rainbow-3" from "Argus-Spectrum", price - from 15,900 rubles, as well as devices from Esser (Essertronic 8000C) and Apollo).
The control panel for each of the listed systems can be divided into devices of small, medium and large “information capacity”. This depends on the number of connected loops, sensors and functions performed. And the most suitable devices are selected for each specific object (house, apartment). What can I recommend? Perhaps it is always better to prefer a device from a large manufacturer (foreign or domestic) that has been on the market for a long time. Which device to choose from the range of a particular manufacturer should be determined by the company installing your alarm system. But here we will allow ourselves some advice.
Firstly, it is better to choose, as they now say, an “intuitive” PCP. That is, so that you understand everything that is displayed on its panel even in a half-asleep state. And so that they can quickly and easily carry out any necessary actions with the device, because there will be no time to read the instructions for operating it during a fire.
Secondly, it is always better to prefer PCP, so to speak, with a small margin. For example, with the ability to connect another loop without changing previously laid lines.
Thirdly, in the event of a fire, a “smart” device should automatically perform a number of necessary actions for you, which the owner may well forget about in the heat of fighting the fire. For example, turn off the supply and exhaust ventilation to prevent the spread of fire through this system, cut off power to the main electrical consumers, etc.
Sounders
This concept hides all the actuators that will begin to work at the command of the control panel after a fire is detected. In the simplest case, these are sound, light or light-sound annunciators (in other words, “sirens”, “howlers”, “flashing lights” and “blinkers”). Even not very powerful sirens placed inside your home will warn you in time about impending trouble. More powerful devices located on the walls, roof or attic of a country house will bring the signal about a fire to public attention. It’s just necessary that there be someone who will perceive (see, hear) the fire signal given by the system and quickly respond to it - go to find out what happened, and if a fire actually occurs, put it out or call the fire brigade. And this means that this notification option is only suitable for your own home in a cottage community with centralized security. And even then it’s a stretch - it’s also not easy for security to immediately figure out in which building the siren is wailing. Neither for an apartment building, nor for a holiday village or gardening community, in which there is no centralized security, this method of notification is completely unsuitable.
In apartment buildings and telephone-connected cottage villages, you can output a signal from home control panels to the security console, and let it take appropriate measures. We just need to work together to equip her post with the appropriate remote control.
How to organize the sending of a fire message from the fire alarm system installed in the house if there is no telephone connection? And for this case, there are a number of devices. For villages where there is security, special radio communication systems are produced. In this case, all houses are equipped with a device that can transmit a pre-recorded voice message, and the security post is equipped with a receiving device for the corresponding number of houses. (In a similar way, the issue of sending messages about incidents when calling private security, if the country house is guarded by it, is resolved. The only difference is in the power of the transmitting device.)
If an apartment building or village does not have its own security, but it is located within the coverage area of GSM cellular communications, you can use devices that will send an SMS message about an incident. These devices are usually called dialers. They are capable of both connecting to any security and fire alarm system and being used as an independent receiving and control device (determined by design). When an alarm is triggered, the device sends an SMS signal to any (there may be three or more) cell phone numbers specified by the owner (you, relatives, friends, neighbors, etc.).
Perhaps the most common device of this type at present is the GSM-UO-4C (Bolid company, price - about $ 130). The cost of installing a turnkey system based on it costs approximately $400. A significant disadvantage of the system is that it can only operate in a heated room (operating temperature - from +1 to +45 C). Devices similar in principle of operation, but more modern, are offered by companies such as Pyronix (devices of the Matrix series, price - from $30 to $120, "Security Formula" (models of the ForSec-GSM series - from $450), etc.
Cost of fire alarm systems (FAS)
The cheapest are addressless fire alarm systems based on domestically produced equipment (we have already outlined the range of manufacturers). Thus, a point smoke sensor costs from 160 to 400 rubles, a linear smoke sensor - from 2980 to 7180 rubles, a thermal passive - from 11 to 60 rubles, a differential - from 150 to 350 rubles, an optical open flame - from 1350 to 5600 rub. etc. Domestic sensors generally cope well with their task, but, as a rule, they are somewhat inferior to their imported counterparts in reliability and aesthetics.
Fire alarm systems at an average price level are usually created on the basis of sensors and control devices from such well-known foreign companies as ADEMCO, System Sensor, Napco, Texecom, PYRONIX. So, a point smoke detector in this price category will cost $15-30, smoke linear - $100-500, differential - $10-20, etc.
Expensive ATP systems include address systems. Most often, they are built on specialized control panels and sensors from ESSER, ESMI, Honeywell, Securiton, etc. In this category, a point smoke sensor costs from $30 to $100, a linear smoke sensor - from $500 to $1000, a differential one - from $30 to $1000 60, optical open flame - from $200 to $500.
Despite the fact that addressless detectors are the cheapest, installing a complex SPS based on them can be quite expensive. Addressable detectors cost at least 50% more than non-addressable ones, but installing an SPS based on them can be cheaper. Thus, according to a number of companies we surveyed, for a building with an area of more than 500 m2, an addressable system is already cheaper than a non-addressable one. And the larger the area, the greater the winnings in money. True, not all experts who participated in our survey agreed with this statement. Some have rightly noted that it is not so much a matter of area as the number of protected premises and their location - factors that determine the configuration and ramifications of the system being created. (And they immediately proposed several addressless schemes for a large house with 20 rooms using easy-to-control control panels, which are no more expensive than addressable ones.) There is, apparently, some truth in both statements - for each specific object you need to select your own system , optimally suitable for both technical parameters, and in price. And in order to get a few alternative options and choose the best one, you should contact not just one company, but several at once.
But everyone agreed that address systems are cheaper to maintain. It’s cheaper because they find the fault themselves - all that remains is to fix it.
Equipment for analogue addressable systems has the highest cost. If, for example, an addressable threshold detector from SYSTEM SENSOR costs an average of $15, then a detector for an addressable analogue system from APOLLO costs $50, and from ESSER costs $90. The high cost of detectors, and therefore The systems assembled on their basis are still limited by their use in city apartments and private houses.
Having installed a fire alarm system, you should be prepared for the fact that the costs will not be limited to this. It will be necessary to pay regularly (at least once every six months, or better once a quarter) to call a specialist to carry out preventative work(the list of required actions and their frequency are indicated in the control panel and detector passports). For small SPS, the cost of such work is approximately 1000 rubles, for complex ones, naturally, it is more expensive, but, fortunately, not directly proportional to the cost of the system. It is better not to undertake them yourself - you may lose the warranty (it is usually given for a year, after which a contract for post-warranty service is concluded).
And one last thing to say at the end of this part of the review. In the field of electronic security individual house fire alarm It is usually an integral part of a fire and security system and is controlled by one control panel. Those working in such security systems The devices are already called differently - PPKOP, that is, fire and security control panels. But we are not discussing such systems today - unfortunately, the scope of the review is too small.
The editors would like to thank NPO PULSE, the FORMULA SAFETY group of companies, the INTEGRATED SECURITY alliance, and System Sensor Fair Detectors for their assistance in preparing the material.
The cost of damage from a fire, even in a single room, can reach impressive amounts. For example, when the premises contain equipment whose price significantly exceeds the cost of a fire protection device. Traditional methods of extinguishing fire are unsuitable in this case, since their use threatens no less damage than the fire itself.
That is why there is a growing need for early fire detection systems that can detect signs of fire in its infancy and take action. operational measures to prevent it. Early fire detection equipment performs its functions using ultra-sensitive sensors. These are temperature, smoke, as well as chemical, spectral (flame-responsive) and optical sensors. All of them are part of a single system aimed at early detection and rapid fire localization.
The most important role here is played by the continuous monitoring property of early fire detection devices chemical composition air. When burning plastic, plexiglass, polymer materials the composition of the air changes dramatically, which is what the electronics should record. For such purposes, semiconductor gas-sensitive sensors are widely used, the material of which is capable of changing electrical resistance due to chemical exposure.
Systems using semiconductors are constantly being improved, and the semiconductor market is constantly growing, as evidenced by financial market indicators. Modern semiconductor sensors are capable of detecting minimal concentrations of substances released during combustion. First of all, these are hydrogen, carbon oxide and dioxide, and aromatic hydrocarbons.
When the first signs of fire are detected, the work of fire extinguishing systems only begins. Detection equipment operates accurately and quickly, replacing several people and eliminating the human factor when extinguishing a fire. These devices are ideally connected to everyone engineering systems buildings that can speed up or slow down the spread of fire. The early detection system will, if necessary, completely turn off the ventilation of the room, required quantity- power supply elements, will turn on the alarm, and ensure timely evacuation of people. And most importantly, it will launch the fire extinguishing complex.
In the earliest stages, extinguishing a fire is much easier than in later stages, and may only take a few minutes. Extinguishing a fire in its infancy can be done using methods that exclude physical destruction of objects located in the room. This method is, for example, extinguishing by replacing oxygen with non-flammable gas. In this case, the liquefied gas, when it goes into a volatile state, lowers the temperature in the room or in a specific area, and also suppresses the combustion reaction.
Fire doors are an integral part of any fire safety system. This is a structural element that prevents the spread of fire to adjacent rooms for a certain time.
Early fire detection devices are required primarily to ensure the safety of people. Their necessity has been proven by numerous and bitter experiences. Fire is one of the most unpredictable natural disasters, as evidenced by the entire history of human civilization. In our time, this factor has not become less relevant. On the contrary, today even a local fire can cause catastrophic losses associated with the failure of expensive equipment and machinery. That is why it is profitable to invest in such an early detection system.
Currently, most methods for detecting forest fires involve the personal presence of rescuers: patrolling, observation from towers and helicopters, as well as the use of space data. All measures taken are certainly effective in the absence of abnormal heat. But, during a period of drought, when fires simultaneously cover vast territories in various parts of the country, the question of more perfect systems observations and early warning forest fires.
Forest fire detection system
Innovative developments in this direction have made it possible to create a completely unique “Forest fire detection” system. Unlike all currently existing methods of fighting fires, this system works automatically, with virtually no human intervention, alerting the operator at the earliest stages of fire detection.
“Forest fire detection” is a large-scale system of sensors that allows:
- Conduct continuous video surveillance.
- Detect smoke early.
- Automatically notify rescue services.
- Predict the scale of development of the fire source.
- Calculate the amount of forces aimed at extinguishing the fire.
The equipment is equipped autonomous system power supply and has a high degree of protection against various weather conditions and force majeure circumstances. This means that the system will not fail during a thunderstorm and will allow detection of areas affected by lightning.
How to purchase a system
Company "Xorex-Service", representing technology "Forest fire detection" on the Belarusian market, has established itself as reliable partner in the field of IT technologies. All equipment promoted by the company undergoes mandatory certification and is of excellent quality.
Each order is processed individually:
- At the initial stage, highly qualified specialists will assess the area, taking into account all the features of the relief, the availability of infrastructure, and even the weather conditions of the provided territory.
- At the second stage, all work on installing and configuring the equipment will be carried out, taking into account all the individual characteristics identified earlier.
- After preparation, the company’s specialists will train your organization’s personnel to use the system and provide ongoing support from their side. These are the guarantees of service!
What’s also attractive is that you can see for yourself the effectiveness "Forest fire detection" having tried our system. You will definitely be pleased with the team of professionals and the cost of system maintenance. And timely forecasting of a terrible natural disaster will help to avoid many irreversible consequences of forest fires.