Application of Detectors

When designing a fire protection system, it is important to understand and identify the characteristics and fuel material of a potential fire, the environment in which the detector will be sited and the risk of fire.

Relative performance of Apollo point detectors in test fire:

table

 

Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are recommended for general use as they give the highest level of protection. They must be used in escape routes to provide sufficient early warning to allow the evacuation of occupants. There are two types of smoke detectors that are recognised as good general purpose detectors and they are available in both conventional and  analogue addressable:

Ionisation smoke detectors
  • High sensitivity to fast burning, flaming fires that produce small smoke particles
  • Widely used for applications such as priniting workshops, paper mills and paint stores
  • Good for general purpose 
Optical smoke detectors
  • Suited to detecting slow burning, smouldering fires which produce large smoke particles
  • Used in areas such as bedrooms, escape corridors,  and electrical switch rooms
  • Also good for general purpose

 

Heat Detectors

Apollo offers both conventional and analogue adressable heat detectors. These detectors offer protection in environments that are dirty or smoky in normal conditions such as kitchens or garages. They are also effective in areas that contain high levels of airborne particles such as water vapour and exhaust fumes.

It is important to note that heat detectors will respond only when a fire is well-established and generating a high heat output.   

Rate-of-rise detectors
  • Designed to sense rapid increase in temperature
  • Effective in environments where the ambient temperature is normal
Fixed temperature heat detectors
  • Signals alarm when temperature surpasses a pre-defined level
  • Effective in areas with fluctuating temperatures, such as boiler rooms
  • Good for environments with a particularly high temperature

 

Multisensor Detectors

Multisensor detectors combine features of optical and heat detectors. This means they provide good general detection that responds to both smouldering fires (optical) and fast-burning fires (heat).

  • Combined sensors enhance the detection performance
  • Improve resistance to factors that may produce false alarms
  • Suited for environments such as hotel bedrooms and warehouse loading bays

Apollo has both conventional and analogue adressable multisensor detectors.

 

CO Detectors

CO Detectors do not detect heat or smoke. Instead, they sense levels of carbon monoxide (CO) given off in the early smouldering stages of a fire. This means they are able to provide an early warning of fire in certain well-defined circumstances.

Note: CO detectors should not be used as a replacement for smoke or heat detectors but they do provide excellent support to fire detection systems.

Visit the Discovery CO detector page for more information.

 

Optical Beam Detectors

The optical beam detectors use an infra-red light sent from a transmitter to a receiver. Alarm state is reached when smoke obscures the beam of light. This means they are ideal for protecting large, open spaces such as church halls and warehouses.

 

Flame Detectors

Flame detectors are designed to detect either ultraviolet (UV) or infra-red (IR) radiation emitted by fire. They can even detect gas fires which are invisible to the naked eye.

  • Effective in protecting areas where open flaming fires may be expected
  • Unaffected by air currents, and tolerant of fumes, vapours and dust
  • Applications include oil refineries, power plants, paper works and car factories

 

Intrinsically Safe

Intrinsically safe detectors are versions of optical and heat detectors specifically designed to protect areas where explosive mixtures of gas and vapour may be present.

  • Designed so they cannot ignite the explosive area in normal or fault conditions
  • Used in chemical engineering plants and factories holding gases, solvents and paints

Apollo offers XP95 or Orbis versions of intrinsically safe detectors

 

Marine Detectors

Marine detectors operate in the same way as standard devices but are subject to additional approval tests specific to the marine environment.

Apollo offers Orbis and Discovery versions of detectors that are for suitable use in the marine environement.