Advanced Fire Detection

Applications and Techniques

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Topics:

• The Challenges of Fire Detection

• Typical Designs using Smoke Detectors
• Special Detection Applications and Methods

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 All fires produce combustion products.

Combustion products fall into four categories: heat, gases, light, and smoke.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 We can monitor for these combustion products to detect fire. However -
• How much heat?

• How quickly is the temperature in the space increasing?

• How much light is being released from the fire? Visible, UV, IR?

• What gases are being produced and in what quantities?

• How much smoke?

• What color is the smoke?

• Is the air moving in the space?

• How high is the ceiling in the space?

• What is the ceiling type and shape?

• What is the normal ambient temperature and environment in the space?

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 There is no single ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for every possible situation.

The common approach for many projects is a prescriptive design

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Smoke Detectors

A prescriptive design using spot-type smoke detectors will generally follow 30 foot spacing
between the detectors. This spacing is customary in the fire alarm industry.

17.7.4.2.3.1*
In the absence of specific performance-based design criteria, one of the following requirements shall apply:
(1) The distance between smoke detectors shall not exceed a nominal spacing of 30 ft (9.1 m) and there shall be
detectors within a distance of one-half the nominal spacing, measured at right angles from all walls or partitions
extending upward to within the top 15 percent of the ceiling height.
(2)* All points on the ceiling shall have a detector within a distance equal to or less than 0.7 times the nominal 30 ft
(9.1 m) spacing (0.7S).

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Taken from A.17.6.3.1.1(a), NFPA 72, 2022 Edition. Copyright © National Fire Protection Association
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 21 Feet

Spacing
30 Feet Spacing

Taken from A.17.6.3.1.1(d), NFPA 72, 2022 Edition. Copyright © National Fire Protection Association
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 Taken from A.17.6.3.1.1(h), NFPA 72, 2022 Edition. Copyright © National Fire Protection Association
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 Also hallways…

Taken from A.17.6.3.1.1(g), NFPA 72, 2022 Edition. Copyright © National Fire Protection Association
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 What if the application is not a typical one?

Let’s look at a few special detection applications…

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Conveyor Belt Protection

How might we detect a fire here?

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Date: June 20, 2020
Location: India
Type: Coal Dust Fire
Equipment: Conveyor Belt
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Millions
Company Description:
Coal mine with a production of 80,000 tons of coal per day and a three-line
conveyor belt operating 24 hours a day.
Incident Description:
Conveyor belt fire at a coal mine. The fire burned around 200 meters of the belt

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Linear Heat Cable
Belt Transported Material

Linear Heat Cable

Belt Support Rollers

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Three locations are recommended for the sensor cable to provide complete detection on the
conveyor belt

• Roller bearings - Problems with friction from a misaligned belt or a seized

bearing will cause an overheat. Install the sensor cable as close as possible
to the roller bearings to provide the earliest possible detection.
• Above the belt - If the conveyor is covered it is recommended that sensor
cable also be installed to the canopy above the conveyor belt to detect for
any fires on the belt, enabling a controlled shutdown and preventing
potential fire spread by the moving conveyor.
• Underneath - It is recommended that the heat cable also be installed
underneath the conveyor to detect any fires that may occur due to trash or
combustible fuel that may have fallen from the conveyor belt.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 This approach can be used for the protection of similar applications

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 King’ Cross Fire, 1987

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Fire Protection for Recycling Centers

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 2808.10 Emergency plan. The owner or operator shall develop a plan for monitoring, controlling and extinguishing
spot fires and submit the plan to the fire code official for review and approval.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Fast detection is needed!

3 specific bands of IR between 2-5um + UV

3-5 sec at 100 feet at 90° FOV Standard

3-5 sec at 200 feet at 90° FOV Long Distance

Class 1 Div 1, Groups A, B & C

Class II/III Div , Groups E, F & G

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Applications include

 Oil and Gas

 Petrochemical
 Munition
 Hangers
 Generators
 Manufacturing

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Other Challenging Applications
Commercial
Laundry

Unusual
Freezer Ceilings

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Challenging Applications

“Stratification occurs when the smoke or hot gases flowing

from the fire fail to ascend to the smoke detectors mounted at
a particular level (usually on the ceiling) above the fire…”

NFPA 72, Annex B.4.6

High Ceilings

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 Air-Sampling Smoke Detection

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Protection from CO Poisoning

 Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas

 Combines with hemoglobin instead of oxygen
 Symptoms of CO poisoning range from headache to unconsciousness and death
 The “Silent” Killer

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Hochiki ACD-V Multi-Criteria Detector

“The ACD-V carbon monoxide (CO) sensing cell serves the dual purpose
of supplementing smoke detection in combination with the photodiode
arrangement and monitoring colorless, odorless and deadly carbon
monoxide levels for life safety. When the carbon monoxide exceeds the
poisonous levels, the sensor transmits an interrupt to the control panel
indicating a CO alarm.”

What about CO protection of a private garage…or public car park?

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Fire Protection in Car Park

Carbon Monoxide (CO), Combustible Gases (EX), and/or Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is often present in enclosed
parking garages. Mechanical ventilation is typically used to exhaust dangerous gases and bring fresh air into
the space.

OSHA - TWA: 50 ppm (CO) is the maximum allowable concentration for a worker’s continuous
exposure in any eight hour period.
NIOSH - TWA: 35 ppm (CO) is the maximum allowable concentration for a worker to be exposed to
in any eight hour period.
ACGIH - TWA: 25 ppm (CO) is the maximum allowable concentration for a worker’s continuous
exposure in any eight hour period.

OSHA NO2 : 1 ppm (1.8 mg/m3) STEL

NIOSH NO2: 1 ppm (1.8 mg/m3) STEL
ACGIH NO2: 5 ppm (9.4 mg/m3) STEL

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 CO & NO2 Detectors
Ventilation Fans
Input modules

Output Modules

L@titude

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Battery Energy Storage Systems

The global battery market for energy storage

systems (ESS) is expected to grow by USD 24
billion from 2021 to 2026, at a CAGR of 34.5%.

Although generally safe, li-ion batteries can burn.

Typical steps leading to li-ion battery thermal runaway (and fire):

Abuse Off-gas Smoke Heat & Fire

What is the best type of detection to use for earliest warning of li-ion fires?

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Battery Energy Storage Systems

Off-gas detection provides the earliest warning of a possible Thermal Runaway condition

Smoke and Heat detection will work – but off-gassing usually precedes smoke and fire

Abuse Off-gas Smoke Heat & Fire

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 What Solution Should I Choose?

A FRA - Fire Risk Assessment - can be used as a tool for identifying what is important to fire safety.

• Define the Problem: is the purpose to identify the level of risk? Or to identify how to lower the risk?
Or perhaps something else? What is the likelihood and consequences of a fire? What are the
customer’s concerns?

• Elements of Risk: what is the exposed target; people, property, environment, or mission? What is
the fire stimuli that the target is vulnerable to; heat, smoke, gases, explosions?

• Acceptance Criteria: what is acceptable considering the target and threat?

• Methods: the method used should be outlined, and its appropriateness to the objectives of the FRA
should be documented.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Techniques for Managing Unwanted Alarms

“In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to a total of 2,889,000 false alarms.” (Statista Research
Department)

How can this be improved?

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Ideas for Managing Unwanted Alarms

Cooking is one of the leading causes of unwanted fire alarms: burnt food, unattended cooking, detectors too
close or in the same room as cooking operations, cooking taking place in areas where it is not permitted,
fans not in operation during cooking, and steam from cooking.

Ensure that cooking equipment is installed properly and that ancillary cooking equipment is located in
proper places. For example, office areas protected with smoke detectors are not good locations for
coffee pots and microwaves.

Smoke detectors should not be placed too close to or in the same room as cooking equipment.

If permitted, change the smoke detector to a heat detector, or move the cooking appliances to a
different location.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Ideas for Managing Unwanted Alarms

Construction causes many unwanted alarms. Construction dust, hot work, fumes, and other construction
work cause alarm activation.

Smoke and heat detectors placed too close to alternate heating appliances can cause unwanted alarms.
Improperly maintained heating appliances can cause improper or incomplete combustion, causing smoke and
life-threatening high CO conditions.

Dust from cleaning and certain cleaning solutions can cause smoke detector activation.

Avoid installing spot-type smoke detectors in areas such as laundry areas (high lint and dust), close to
exterior doors (smoking, vehicle exhaust, dust and wind), and high-ceiling applications

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Ideas for Managing Unwanted Alarms

Alarm Verification (if permitted by the AHJ) -

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Ideas for Managing Unwanted Alarms

Alarm Verification (if permitted by the AHJ) -

Presignal (if permitted by the AHJ) -

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Ideas for Managing Unwanted Alarms

Alarm Verification (if permitted by the AHJ) -

Presignal (if permitted by the AHJ) -

Positive Alarm Sequence (PAS - if permitted by the AHJ) -

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 Good Installation Practice

Use "3M" Weatherban #606 nonflammable sealing compound to seal

field wiring conduit openings in the mounting back box. Compliance
with this request may reduce the occurrence of the "STACK EFFECT".

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 UL 268 7th Edition

The 7th Edition of UL 268 includes flaming and smoldering polyurethane fire tests, and cooking nuisance
testing using a broiling hamburger.

UL 268 7th Edition detectors provide the highest performance in detecting fire emergencies while
proving high immunity to unwanted alarms from cooking

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 The Future…?

What will the future of fire detection look like?

Fires produce combustion products –

• Heat (temperature)
• Gases (CO, CO2, HCN, SO2, H2, and more)
• Light (visible, IR and UV radiation)
• Smoke (aerosol, soot)

Can an AI multi-sensor be developed to evaluate all of these and identify a real fire vs. an unwanted alarm?

Perhaps IoT fire detectors that communicate with one another and the FACP to identify real fires as a “team”?

Fire detection integrated with acoustic sensing and security cameras? Fire-detecting robots??

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 One thing is for sure – fire detection will continue to be needed.

And it must continue to develop, to satisfy current needs; and new applications

• Renewable energy and BESS

• Green buildings

• Taller buildings and large urban areas

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 What can we do now to prepare?

Manufacturer product training

Technical webinars and videos

Industry training and certification

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

 Thank you for your attention and support!

Bill Denney
Hochiki America Corporation
bdenney@hochiki.com

www.hochikiasiapacific.com
sales@hochikiasiapacific.com
https://www.facebook.com/hochikiasiapacific

Read NFPA codes online – www.nfpa.org

NICET – National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies – www.nicet.org
National Training Center – www.nationaltrainingcenter.com

Tuesday, 28 June 2022