Fire detection in extreme conditions

9 Nov 2015

Detecting fires in extreme conditions – or anywhere standard products are not possible for construction or design reasons. This is the field of special fire alarm technology. The solutions in this field are as varied as the applications. Is the equipment for detecting smoke or heat? How accurately does an incident need to be determined? How robust does the system need to be? These and similar questions are critical for choosing the right product for your specific situation.

However unique your situation – we have the answer.

There are situations where standard fire detection equipment reaches its limits: for example, when a room needs to be hygienically cleaned on a daily basis using a high pressure cleaner, or if the temperatures in a bakery are changing continuously. Not least, these restrictions include a lack of space for conventional fire detection equipment, such as in narrow cable ducts, or the devices need to be concealed. An antique stuccoed ceiling and point detectors do not necessarily make a handsome pair. But as annoying as the problem may be, Schrack Seconet has always offered fire detection solutions for challenging application areas like these. Many years of development and refining new innovations has seen us create a reliable product for every application. Three of these products are outlined in this presentation.

Robust in the face of mechanical and chemical influences

The ADW 535 can also withstand the most challenging of mechanical and chemical influences. It offers exceptional resistance to high temperatures, extreme humidity and vapour. Depending on what the environment demands, its pipes are made either of copper for most applications, from stainless steel for more challenging demands such as in the food industry, or from Teflon that will withstand virtually all chemical influences.

Precise measurement of a rise in temperature

A temperature rise is also detected by another innovation in our range: the LIST sensor cable. This system, with flame-retardant outer materials, also has an exceptionally long service life and can easily handle most tough conditions, such as those in a tunnel washer. The sensors can detect a temperature rise of just 0.1 degrees Celsius and its response characteristics can be programmed as required - including a frost alarm.

This makes the LIST system with the corresponding SEC 20 cable ideal for tunnels. More than one million metres of cable are already in use in many European countries. A unique factor in the marketplace is that LIST also permits branch-offs in tunnel pipes. Its smaller brother, the d-LIST with the narrower SEC 15 cable, is the champion for industry: With its smaller diameter, the system fits easily into cable routes or conveyor belts and also provides precise alarm alerts for food manufacturers, the chemical industry and power plants.

Fire alarm technology goes invisible

If for aesthetic reasons the fire alarm technology requires concealed installation, for example in museums, churches or historical buildings, smoke aspirating systems such as the ASD 535 are the right choice. Its evaluation unit with the two highly dynamic HD sensors and the high performance fan with five-level adjustment options can be installed in a technology room at a convenient working height, for example, whereas the intake pipes can be laid in the subceiling of the rooms being monitored. Small intake openings with a diameter less than half a centimetre in the ceiling are the only signs of the concealed fire alarm technology that particularly observant persons would be able to spot. Thanks to its powerful fan, the ASD 535 actively extracts and measures even the smallest amounts of smoke. The ASD 535 reveals its strengths even in challenging conditions with air containing high dust concentrations. With the relevant filters, the extracted air is cleared of dust to avoid affecting fire detection functions. Reliable fire detection with no false alarms

The areas of application for the three different products overlap, meaning that for each project a decision can be made as to what is the most efficient and logical solution. Mature technologies for the detection of the two criteria of smoke and heat are also available and are being continually developed by us on your behalf.

If you would like to find out more on our special fire alarm technology products or meet one of our experts for a consultation where we can develop the perfect solution for you, please contact us: