TYPES OF

DETECTORS
 FIRE DETECTOR
Fire Detector is a part of an fire detection system that
contains at least one sensor which constantly or at
frequent intervals, monitors at least one suitable
physical or chemical phenomenon associated with
fire.
A device suitable for connection to a circuit that has a
sensor that responds to a physical stimulus such as
heat or smoke or flame.
 FUNCTION OF FIRE DETECTOR

The function of fire detector is to detect one or

more changes in the protected environment
indicating the development of fire condition.
SUTABILITY OF FIRE DETECTOR
Fire detectors are designed to detect one or more of three
characteristics of a fire that is smoke, heat or radiation (flame).
No one type of detector is the most suitable for all
applications and final choice is
 COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF
DETECTOR

 Fast Response

 High Sensitivity

 High Accuracy and

 Reliability.
 TYPE OF DETECTORS
 1. Smoke detector (Optical)
a. Ionization type
b. Optical type
i. Obscuration type
ii. Light Scatter type
 Flame Detector or Radiation detector
a. Infrared (IR)
b. Ultraviolet (UV)
 Heat detector
a. Fixed temperature
b. Rate of rise
c. Melting of solids
d. Metal expansion
e. Liquid/ Gas expansion
f. Heating effects of current
 Laser Beam detector
Combination of smoke & heat
 Gas and Explosive Mixture
a. Catalytic oxidation type (Aspirated and Non-Aspirated type)
b. Tagushi type (Semi-conductor based sensor)
 Ionization

• An atom is made up from proton, electron, and

neutron, the proton and electron being in balance.
• If the atom is subjected to radiation from a
radioactive source some electron are knocked off.
• As a result the atom becomes positively charged
• The free electron quickly link up with another atom
which becomes negatively charged.
• This new atom called `ion` and the process that
creates them are called `ionization.
 IONIZATION SMOKE DETECTOR

Main component of ionization smoke detector

are:-
• Radioactive source Americium (95Am 243 )
• Chamber
• Positive and Negative electrode
• Amplifier and
• Ampere meter
IONISATION SMOKE DETECTOR
 WORKINF PRINCIPLE OF IONIZATION
SMOKE DETECTOR

• Ionization smoke detector has two air

sampling chambers.
• Both chambers are kept ionized by a
radioactive source.
• The emission of alpha particles keep the air
chamber ionized by way of splitting the air
molecules in positive and negative ions.
 WORKINF PRINCIPLE OF IONIZATION
SMOKE DETECTOR

• Positive ions are attractive toward to the negative

plate of electrode and negative ions are attractive
toward to the positive plate of electrode ;
• The movement of ions between the plates in the
chamber reduce the resistance of air so that a
small electric current flows in the external circuit

• The current is small and is amplified by amplifier

so that it can be readily monitored.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF IONIZATION
SMOKE DETECTOR

• In a fire condition smoke particles enter in the

chamber become attached to the ions because of
electrostatic attraction and slow their movement .
• This cause a reduction in the current flow
• When the current falls below a predetermine level
the amplifier senses it and initiates an alarm.
• This is the basic concept of the ionization detector
IONIZATION SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEM

NON-FIRE

CONDITION
 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF IONIZATION
SMOKE DETECTION

• The principle of using a small amount of

radioactive material to ionize the air between two
differentially charged electrodes to sense the
presence of smoke particles.
• Smoke particles entering in chamber, the
ionization volume decrease the conductance of the
air by reducing ion mobility.
• The reduced conductance signal is processed and
used to convey an alarm condition when it meets
preset criteria.
IONIZATION SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEM

FIRE
CONDITION
 OPTICAL SMOKE DETECTOR
• Optical smoke detector responds visible smoke
particle .
• Optical smoke detector has two important
component
1. Light source
2. Photoelectric cell
• Optical smoke detector may be two type:-
1. Photoelectric Light Scatter type
2. Photoelectric Light obscuration type
OPTICAL SMOKE DETECTOR
 PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT SCATTER TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR
Main components:-
1. Light source
2. Light shield
3. Light monitor and
4. Photoelectric cell
 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF PHOTOELECTRIC
LIGHT SCATTER SMOKE DETECTION

• This detector contains a light source, photoelectric cell so

arranged that under non fire condition the light rays do
not normally fall on the photo electric cell.
• Under fire condition smoke particles enter in the path of
light, light rays strikes the particle and is scattered on to
photoelectric cell.
• The light signal is processed and used to convey an alarm
condition when it meets preset criteria.
 PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT SCATTER TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR

NON-FIRE
PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT SCATTER TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT OBSCURATION TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR

Main components:-
1. Light Source (Emitter)
2. Photo sensitive Receiver
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT OBSCURATION TYPE
SMOKE DETECTION

• The principle of using a light source and a

photosensitive sensor into which the principal
portion of the source emissions is focused.
• When smoke particles enter the light path, some of
the light is scattered and some is absorbed, thereby
reducing the light reaching the receiving sensor.
• The light reduction signal is processed and used to
convey an alarm condition when it meets preset
criteria.
PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT OBSCURATION TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR

NON-FIRE
CONDITION
PHOTOELECTRIC LIGHT OBSCURATION TYPE
SMOKE DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
 Application area of Smoke Detector

 Sensitive in early stage of fire in air ducts or air

cooled machinery
 Not recommended for garage & kitchen and not
placed near ventilator or fresh air inlet
 Recommended for electronic equipments room,
paper storage etc.
 Application area of Smoke Detector

• Any risk that produces slow smoldering

combustion such as electrical overheating of
cables or Electric motors
• Cotton bales storage area;
• Plastic and rubber material storage area.
• Providing 100 square meter floor area
coverage.
 FLAME

• Flame is a zone in which chemical reaction

take place between gases (one of them is
oxygen) and emitting radiant energy at specific
wavelength bands determined by the
chemistry of combustion of the fuel.
• In most cases, some portion of the flame
emitted radiant energy is visible to the human
eye.
FORMS OF RADIANT ENERGY
PRODUCED BY A FLAME
 FLAME DETECTOR
(Radiation Detector)
• Detector that detects the radiant energy
emitted by the flame are known as flame
detector.
 Infra-red
Radiation Detector
Main component of An infra-red radiation
detector are as of:-
• Lens and filter
• Photoelectric cell
• Amplifier
• Integrator/Timer
• Alarm circuit and
• Visual indicator
RADIATION DETECTOR
INFRA-RED DETECTOR
 Working Principle of Infra-red
Radiation Detector

• Under fire condition Infra-red and ultra violet radiation

emitted from flame .
• The lens and filter will allow only infra – red – radiation .
• Infra – red – radiation fall on the photo electric cell.
• Photo electric cell convert radiant energy into electrical
energy.
• Photo electric cell will transmitted signal to the filter or
amplifier
• If the signal is in the flicker frequency range of 4 Hz - 15 Hz,
it is than fed to the integrator or timer
• Which will activate the alarm circuit only if the signal persist
for a preset period normally 2-15 seconds.
 Application area of Infra – Red Flame
Detector
The following are types of application for which flame detectors are
suitable:
• High-ceiling, open-spaced buildings, such as warehouses and aircraft
hangers;
• Outdoor or semi-outdoor areas where winds or draughts can prevent
smoke from reaching a heat or smoke detector.
• Areas where rapidly developing flaming fires can occur, such as aircraft
hangers, petrochemical production areas, storage and transfer areas,
natural gas installations, paint shops, or solvent areas;
• Areas needing high fire risk machinery or installations, often coupled with
an automatic gas extinguishing system; and
• Environments those are unsuitable for other types of detectors.
Some extraneous sources of radiant emissions that
have been identified as interfering with the stability of
flame detectors include the following

• Sunlight
• Lightning
• X-rays
• Gamma rays
• Cosmic rays
• Ultraviolet radiation from arc welding
• Electromagnetic interference (EMI, RFI)
• Hot objects; and
• Artificial lightning
 Ultra-violet
Radiation/ Flame Detection
Main components:-
• Gas filled tube/ Photo sensitive cell
• Electrodes
• Amplifier
• Detector circuit
• Relay
• Battery and
• Alarm
ULTRA -VIOLET DETECTOR
 Working Principle of Ultra-violet
Radiation Detector

• Under fire condition radiations (Infrared, ultra violet and visible light)
emitted from flame.
• Only ultra-violet-radiation is responded by gas filled tube having wave
length range from 1850 0A to 24500A.
• When ultraviolet radiation strike on the gas filled tube, it ionize the gas .
• This ionization set-up a small current between the two electrode and is
fed to the amplifier.
• When current flow is greater than the preset value of current in the
amplifier, the alarm relay closes immediately giving fire indication.
• It is usually to incorporate an integrator/ timer to effectively the alarm for
a preset period.
 Application area of Application of
radiation Detector
• Refineries
• Chemical & Fertilizer Industries
• Power generating plant
• Fuel Storage tank area
• Oil drilling rigs
• Off shore platforms
• Monitoring of Air-craft engine
• Aircraft Hangers & Refueling area.
 Salient feature of U.V. Flame Detector
• Instantaneous detect flame before it turning
into large fire
• Flame detection exceeds 50 meters
• Large field of view 120 0
• The detector does not affected by sun light or
Artificial light but
• It is sensitive to electric arcs and would not
recommended for area in which welding work
being done.
 UTILITY OF RADIATION
DETECTOR
 Infrared detector used for open storage area, timber
yards and fuel depot
 Ultraviolet detector suitable for monitoring aircraft
engine nacelles, fuel storage tanks, oil drilling rigs,
ware houses, paint spray booths.
 HEAT DETECTOR
• A fire detector that detects either abnormally
high temperature or rate of temperature rise,
or both.
 FIXED TEMPERATURE HEAT DETECTOR

• A device that responds when its operating

element becomes heated to a predetermined
level.
 RATE OF RISE HEAT DETECTOR

• A device that responds when the temperature

rises at a rate exceeding a predetermined
value.
SINGLE METAL STRIP HEAT DETECTOR

NON - FIRE
CONDITION
SINGLE METAL STRIP HEAT DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
DOUBLE METAL STRIP HEAT DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
 Bi-metal heat detectors are resettable and highly
suitable to use above 800C .

 The following are type of application for which probe

type high temperature heat detectors are suitable.

 Generator enclosure, turbine enclosure, oven and

furnace area, kitchen wood and other places as per
the requirement where automatic fire extinguishing/
suppression systems are used.
DOUBLE METAL STRIP HEAT DETECTOR

NON - FIRE
CONDITION
RATE-OF-RISE HEAT DETECTOR

NON - FIRE
CONDITION
RATE-OF-RISE HEAT DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
PNEUMATIC HEAT DETECTOR

NON - FIRE
CONDITION
PNEUMATIC HEAT DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
 Application area of Heat Detector
 Recommended for small quantity of Flammable
liquids in a confined space
 Suitable for garage, kitchen, workshop etc.
 Furnace, Heat treatment & Hot work Industries.
 Specially suitable for commercial & residential
building
 Fusible alloys recommended in ducts under floor
cavities i.e. rack & cub-boards.
LASER BEAM DETECTOR

FIRE
CONDITION
 UTILITY OF LASER BEAM DETECTOR

 Suitable for large factory and ware housing spaces

with high ceiling
 Sensitive to smoke as well as heat
 Recommended for Cinema halls, Museum, Libraries
warehouse etc.
 Gas and Explosive Mixture
a. Catalytic oxidation type (Aspirated and Non-Aspirated type)
b. Tagushi type (Semi-conductor based sensor)

Catalytic Combustion - Combustible gas mixtures will not burn until they reach an ignition
temperature. However, in the presence of certain chemical media, the gas will start to
burn or ignite at lower temperatures. This phenomenon is known as a catalytic
combustion.

The sensor is a half of the wheat stone bridge

circuit. The active element operates on catalytic
combustion of the flammable vapour or gas which
causes its resistance to vary in proportion to the
amount of heat production. The passive element
serves to balance out temperature not due to
combustion.
 Tagushi type (Semi-conductor based sensor)
• Most of the smoke detectors examined have been of the conventional
photoelectric or ionization-chamber type, but several of the detectors
examined have utilized the Taguchi semiconductor gas-sensing device.
These sensors were first developed and are being manufactured in Japan
where they are sold as combustible gas detectors. In the U.S. These sensors
are commonly referred to as Taguchi gas sensors, named after their
inventor.
LIQUID EXPANSION HEAT DETECTOR
 FALSE ALARM
• Alarm of fire that is, false, because the fire
reported does not and did not exist.
• This false alarm may arise by malicious,
mistaken or accidental intent.
 CAUSES OF FALSE ALARM
 Pollutants/dust in the air activating smoke detector & triggering an false
alarm
 Vandalism or malicious acts
 Mistake in the using the system

 Equipment being faulty

 Detector or manual call points in the wrong place i.e. breakage by

accident
 Fire detector system not being appropriate for the building.
 Carrying out hot or dusty work close to smoke detectors or heat
detectors
 ACTIONS IN CASE OF FALSE ALARM

 Silence the fire alarm but do not reset the control panel as this
will delete the information needed to find the false alarm
 Check the indication/ message on the control panel and find out
from which zone/area of building the false alarm is coming
 As soon as possible after the false alarm, visit that zone/area and
locate the manual call point to see if glass is broken or a heat
detector or smoke detector has given the alarm
 Try to find out why the break glass unit or detector has triggered
contd…
 ACTIONS IN CASE OF FALSE ALARM

 If having difficulty finding the detector that has triggered, it may

be in a duct or above a false ceiling. If a plan showing all detector
are available, use it to find the detector
 If can not find the detector that has triggered, call in the
maintenance agency as they should know where detectors are
within the fire detection system
 ACTIONS IN CASE OF FALSE ALARM

 Accurately record all the information about the false alarm in

the system log book. This is very important, as the information
at a later date may be needed
 Investigations should show that the false alarms are the result
of faulty equipment, malicious acts, human error or any
activities near detector
 If alarm system is connected with auto dialer for alerting the
concerned department, contact and tell how to deal for the
next messages regarding the problem till the problem is
 APPLICABLE CODES AND STANDARDS

Sl. CODE NUMBER DESCRIPTION

1 IS-2189-1988 Reaffirmed in Code of practice for selection, installation

-1998. EN 54, NFPA 72 and maintenance of automatic fire
detection and alarm system (second
revision –Amendment-II for IS 2189)

2 NFPA 72 & UL 268, EN 54, For selection of Fire Alarm Panel, all
LPCB detectors & modules
3 UL – 864, EN54 For Fire Alarm Panel

4 IS-5-1994 Color for ready mixed paints and enamels

(Fourth Division)
5 IS-9537PART-II-1981 Specification for conduits for electrical
wiring

Contd…
 APPLICABLE CODES AND STANDARDS
Sl. CODE NUMBER DESCRIPTION
6 IS-694-1990 PVC insulated cables for working voltages upto
and including 1100V (Third revision-Amendment-
I)

7 IS-1554 PART-I-1998 PVC insulated (heavy duty electric cables part-I

for working voltages upto & including 1100V
(Third Edition-Amendment-I)

8 IS-10810 PART 53- Method of test for cables part-53-flammability test

1984
Reaffirmed 1991

9 IS-1255-1983 Code of practice for installation and maintenance

Reaffirmed in 1991 of power cables upto and including 33KV rating
(Second revision-Amendment-I)

10 IS-3043-1987 Code of practice for earthing

Reaffirmed in 1991
 RECOGNIZED AGENCIES OF FDA SYSTEM

 U.L. -- Under writers Laboratories Inc .U.S.A.

 F.M. -- Factory Mutual.
 NFPA – National Fire Protection Association.
 L.P.C.B – Loss Prevention Certification Board
 EN – European Norm
 Vds – Association of German Property Insurance
Companies.