Experiment: - 6

AIM: - To study about Fire detector and alarm system.

Theory:-

Fire detector and Alarm system

A fire alarm system is number of devices working together to detect and warn
people through visual and audio appliances when smoke, fire, carbon monoxide
or other emergencies are present. These alarms may be activated from smoke
detectors, and heat detectors.

Alarms can be either motorized bells or wall mountable sounders or horns. They
can also be speaker strobes which sound an alarm, followed by a voice evacuation
message which warns people inside the building not to use the elevators. They
may also be activated via Manual fire alarm activation devices such as manual
call points or pull stations.

Fire alarm sounders can be set to certain frequencies and different tones including
low, medium and high depending on the country and manufacturer of the device.
Most fire alarm systems in Europe sound like a siren with alternating frequencies.
Fire alarm warning devices can also be set to different volume levels. Smaller
buildings may have the alarm set to a lower volume and larger buildings may
have alarms set to a higher level.

Fire detector

1. Heat detector

A 'heat detector is a fire alarm device designed to respond when the convected
thermal energy of a fire increases the temperature of a heat sensitive element. The
thermal mass and conductivity of the element regulate the rate flow of heat into
the element. All heat detectors have this thermal lag. Heat detectors have two
main classifications of operation, "rate-of-rise" and "fixed temperature." The
Heat detector is use to help in the reduction of damaged property. It is triggered
when temperature increases.

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

Rate of rise:-
Rate-of-Rise (ROR) heat detectors operate on a rapid rise in element temperature
of 12° to 15°F (6.7° to 8.3°C) increase per minute, irrespective of the starting
temperature. This type of heat detector can operate at a lower temperature fire
condition than would be possible if the threshold were fixed. It has two heat-
sensitive thermocouples or thermistors.

One thermocouple monitors heat transferred by convection or radiation while the

other responds to ambient temperature. The detector responds when the first
sensing element's temperature increases relative to the other. Rate of rise
detectors may not respond to low energy release rates of slowly developing fires.
To detect slowly developing fires combination detectors add a fixed temperature
element that will ultimately respond when the fixed temperature element reaches
the design threshold.

Fixed Temperature:-
This is the most common type of heat detector. Fixed temperature detectors
operate when the heat sensitive eutectic alloy reaches the eutectic point changing
state from a solid to a liquid. Thermal lag delays the accumulation of heat at the
sensitive element so that a fixed-temperature device will reach its operating
temperature sometime after the surrounding air temperature exceeds that
temperature.

The most common fixed temperature point for electrically connected heat
detectors is 136.4°F (58°C). Technological developments have enabled the
perfection of detectors that activate at a temperature of 117°F (47°C), increasing
the available reaction time and margin of safety and more.

Smoke detector
A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire.
Commercial security devices issue a signal to a fire alarm control panel as part of
a fire alarm system, while household smoke detectors, also known as smoke
alarms, generally issue a local audible or visual alarm from the detector itself.
Smoke detectors are housed in plastic enclosures, typically shaped like a disk
about 150 millimetres (6 in) in diameter and 25 millimetres (1 in) thick, but shape
and size vary.

Types of smoke detector described below:

1. Photo-electric smoke detector
2. Ionization smoke detector
3. Projected beam smoke detector

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

4. Aspirating smoke detector
5. Video smoke detector

Photo-electric smoke detector:

An photo-electric smoke detector is a scattered light sensor, that consists of the
following main components;
1. a light source
2. a lens to focus light into a projected beam
3. a sensor at an angle to the beam as a light sensor

In the absence of smoke, light passes in front of the sensor in a straight line. When
smoke enters the optical chamber across the path of the light beam, some light is
scattered by the smoke particles, directing it at the sensor and thus triggering the
alarm.

There are two types of photo-electric smoke detector

A. Light Scattering (Scattering)
B. Light Obscuring (Blocking)

A. Light scattering:-
Photoelectric light scattering smoke detectors typically consist of one light
source, typically a light emitting diode (LED) and one light sensitive device,
typically a photodiode. When smoke particles enter the light path, light collides
with these particles and is reflected at the photo-sensitive device, causing the
detector to respond.

B. Light Obscuring:-
Photoelectric light obscuration smoke detectors also employ a light source and a
light sensitive device. When smoke particles block the light beam, the light

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

sensitive device identifies the reduction in light and its output is modified. The
change in output is sensed by the detector's circuitry and when the pre-set
threshold is passed, the detector produces an alarm.

Ionization smoke detector

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

An Ionization smoke detector consists of the following main components;
1. A radioactive source, usually Americium-241 that emits alpha particles
2. A ionization chamber, an air-filled space between two electrodes

The alpha particles pass through the ionization chamber, and permit a small,
constant electric current between the electrodes. Smoke particles that enter the
chamber absorbs the alpha particles, which interrupts the electric current,
activating an alarm.

Projected beam smoke detector

A projected beam optical smoke detector operates on the principle of light

obscuration and comprises;
1. A projected beam transmitter & lens
2. A light receiver
3. A light reflector (not in all cases)

The light transmitter emits an invisible beam of light that is received by a receiver
in a normal condition. The receiver is calibrated to a preset sensitivity level based
on a percentage of total obscuration. When smoke obscures the beam, an alarm
signal is activated.

Aspirating smoke detector:-

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

An aspirating smoke detector is a very sensitive light sensor, that works by
actively drawing a sample of air and other contaminates through a pipe network
into a sensing chamber and consists of the following main components;
1. a network of small-bore pipes
2. a particulate filter
3. a sensing chamber
4. a focused light source
5. a sensitive light receiver

When smoke enters the sensing chamber across the path of the light beam, some
light is scattered or obscured by the smoke particles, which is detected by the
sensor. The output is analogue and can trigger multiple alarms.

Video smoke detector

Video Smoke Detection (VSD) is based on the computer analysis of video images
provided by standard video (CCTV) cameras. A video smoke detection system
comprises the following components;
1. one or more video cameras
2. a computer
3. software to analyse the video signal

The computer uses specialised software to identify the unique motion and pattern
of smoke. This unique signal when identified triggers an alarm.

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)

Assignment:
1. Brief about different type of output devices of Fire detection and alarm
system.
2. State the different criteria to determine layout of the fire detectors

Lab-In-Charge

SEMESTER: - 7th IC (GEC, Ghandinagar) SUBJECT: BUILDING AUTOMATION (2171713)