Specialty fire detection, such as air sampling units or optical smoke and fire sensors, is often better suited for the type of environments where special hazards fire suppression is typically utilized. These environments might include rooms or enclosures with high ceilings or a large volume of airflow, where traditional detection methods that are triggered by heat or smoke would not initiate a fire suppression system early enough, which is essential for protecting your sensitive, mission-critical equipment.
For example, in a room that has a significant amount of airflow or high ceilings, it would take a significant amount of heat or smoke to reach traditional detectors. That scenario would mean either leaving your equipment at risk, or it would require the installation of additional detectors, which is not a cost effective solution. Specialty fire detection, however, solves that problem in a cost-effective manner by using different types of sensors, which can identify a fire earlier and enable your fire suppression system to engage, often before your sensitive, mission-critical equipment is damaged. This helps to reduce your costs while keeping your business operating.
Flagship Fire offers an assortment of specialty fire detection types, ranging from air sampling units to optical smoke and fire sensors.
Specialty fire detection types
Air sampling unit / air sampling smoke detector (ASSD)
An air sampling unit, also know as an air sampling smoke detector (ASSD) is one of the five approved methods outlined by the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code to detect smoke. This type of specialty fire detector is often used in the following environments:
- At the ceiling of rooms containing servers or telecommunications equipment.
- At air handling return grills.
- In buildings where other smoke detectors have failed.
- Rooms where other fire detectors may not perform reliably, such as MRI rooms in hospitals.
- Inside freezer warehouses and other cold rooms.
- Rooms with high ceilings such as warehouses, manufacturing, or industrial facilities.
Optical smoke sensor / photo-electric smoke sensor
An optical smoke alarm, also called photo-electric smoke alarm, works by identifying infrared light scattered by smoke particles. As the smoke enters the detector’s optical chamber, its particles cause the infrared light, which is produced by a light emitting diode (LED), to be scattered to the point where it is able to be picked up by a photodiode light receptor. Once this occurs, a signal is sent, causing the alarm to sound and alerting the occupants of the fire.
Optical fire sensor / optical flame detection
In larger areas, optical flame detection is one of the fastest and most reliable methods of fire detection. This method identifies radiation produced by the flames in visible, ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) wavelengths. False radiation signals from environmental or industrial sources may make it difficult to detect the flame, which is why proper selection, configurations, and calibration are critical.