Fire Detection Using Near-IR Radiation and Source Temperature Discrimination.
Fire Detection Using Near-IR Radiation and Source
Temperature Discrimination.
(184 K)
Sivathanu, Y. R.; Tseng, L. K.
NISTIR 5904; October 1996.
National Institute of Standards and Technology. Annual
Conference on Fire Research: Book of Abstracts.
October 28-31, 1996, Gaithersburg, MD, 117-118 pp, 1996.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
Fax: 703-605-6900.
Website: http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB97-153514
Keywords:
fire research; fire science; fire detection; infrared
radiation; source temperature; fire detectors
Abstract:
New fire detection concepts and algorithms are justified
only if they improve upon existing ones with lower false
alarm rates and greater sensitivity to starting fires.
In addition, the detectors and signal processing
instruments should be easy to operate and maintain, have
high flexibility and be relatively inexpensive.
Currently residential fire detectors include optical
smoke sensors, ionization smoke sensors and temperature
sensors. Conventional smoke sensors utilize light
scattering or smoke ionization measurements, while
temperature sensors utilize thermocouple measurements.
The disadvantages with conventional single sensor
detectors are that there is a significant time delay
between the start of the fire, and the transport of
either combustion products or smoke to positions close
enough to enable detection and single sensor detectors
involve a high rate of false alarms due to changes in
the operating environment. Combinations of smoke
sensors and odor sensors which involve multiple fire
signatures are less prone to false alarms, but involve
greater initial and maintenance costs. The objective of
the present work was to investigate whether these two
characteristics of natural fires could be exploited in a
near-infrared fire detector operating on the principle
of source temperature discrimination.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899