Lecture 02

FIRE AND PUBLIC HEALTH ENGINEERING
MEC 5003
Ing. Johan A. Psaila

Fire Detection & Activation
Types of Fire Alarm Systems

• Manual Fire Systems- Consists of Manual Breakglass Units & alarm sounders
- Alarm raised by an individual
- BS 5839 categorise such systems as M
• Automatic Fire Detection Systems- In addition such systems comprise of smoke &
heat detectors
- BS 5839 categorise such systems as P- Property
Protection & L- life Safety
Types of Fire Detection Systems
Conventional Monitored Systems

• Detectors wired in radial circuits from control panel
• At the end of each circuit a resistor is used- End-of-line resistor
• Wiring does not need to be fire rated as a circuit break will be immediately be
notified
Types of Fire Detection Systems
Addressable Systems
• Detectors are wired in ‘loops’ & on commissioning they are allocated with an
address- This allows control panel to recognise the detector
• Benefit- Damage to part of the circuit can be isolated & allow the system to
continue in operation- This is achieved by installing Zone Isolator Units
• BS 5829-Part 1- Recommends that Short-Circuit Isolators are placed between each
zone
• Maximum area covered by one loop should not exceed 10,000m2- Recommended
to be less than this for ease of fault finding
• Wiring to be fire rated
Breakglass/ Manual Call Points
• Located on exit routes
• Located in such a way so that no person need to travel more than

30 meters
• Height- 1.4 meters from floor in conspicuous position, free from

obstructions
• Method of operation of all call points shall be identical

Types of Fire Detection Devices
Point-type Smoke Detectors

1. Ionisation-Chamber Detectors
An electrical current flows between two electrodes
Current is reduced by the presence of smoke
Sensitive to small smoke particles such as that produced by rapidly burning fires
Relatively insensitive to large smoke particles- Burning Plastics or smouldering fires
Responsible for higher level of false alarms

2. Optical Scatter Detectors
Comprises of a light source & photocell- Optical Beam scattered by smoke
Sensitive to large smoke particles
Better performance in terms of false alarms
Relatively insensitive to large smoke particles- Overheated PVC or smouldering PU
foam
3. Beam Detectors
Comprises of a narrow beam directed at a receiver, usually photocell
Used where the installation/maintenance of point smoke detectors will be difficult
due to height

4. Aspirating Detectors
A pump continuously draws air from the space using narrow diameter tubes each
of which has holes
Extracted air is passed through a detector situated in a central control unit
Very sensitive
Relatively expensive
Used in areas containing sensitive & expensive equipment such as computer rooms
Point-type Heat Detectors

 Respond to temperatures surrounding a particular spot
1. Fixed Temperature Type

Operates when a pre-determined temperature is exceeded
2. Temperature Rate-of-Rise Type

Operate in response to a rapid rise in temperature
Line-type Heat Detectors

 Respond to temperature changes
 Consists of a special cable which is able to detect changes in temperature along
its length
 Mainly used in Car Parks and Production Facilities
Flame Detectors
 Two types
1. Ultraviolet flame- Detects UV radiation within a flame
2. Infrared Detectors- respond to the flickering component of the IR from a fire
 Not used as General Purpose Detectors since they are unable to detect smoke
 Used to supplement heat or smoke detectors in specialised applications such as in
Aircraft Hangars where fire involving flammable liquids is expected due to
defueling of the aircraft
Gas Combustion Detectors

 Also known as Carbon monoxide detectors
 Capable of detecting some of the gaseous products of combustion rather than
smoke or heat
 Mainly used as monitoring devices where gas fired heating equipment is used
 Used to supplement heat or smoke detectors as they might not detect a fire where
Oxygen supply is constant
Summary of characteristics of automatic detectors

Fire Alarm Panel
Considerations for Siting of FAP-

 Availability to Staff in order to see the indications by the control panel
 Accessibility by the fire brigade
 Preferably on Ground Floor & in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to building
 Zone designation drawings shall be made available next to FAP
Alarm Sounders
 Must be audible throughout the building in order to alert occupants
 Able to produce a minimum sound level of either 65dB (A) or 5db (A) above
background noise, whichever is greater at any occupiable point within a building
 Single doors may reduce sound levels by 20dB (A) to 30dB (A)
 Hotels/ Guesthouses- People are sleeping- Sound level shall be 75dB (A) at
bedhead
 Nightclub- High background noise- Provision should be made to switch-off music
 Deaf People present- To make Flashing Beacons in addition to the sounders
Continuous presence of deaf people alone- Radio paging will be an option
 Alarm Sounders within the same building shall have similar sounds
 A large number of quieter sounders may be preferable over small number of louder
sounders as to prevent noise levels in some areas in becoming too noisy
Alarm Sounders (cont.)
 At least one sounder per fire compartment
 Within a building at least two sounders
Activating other safety measures
 Fire Alarm Panels may also be used to activate other safety measures
o Shutting-down plant such as HVAC Plant
o Closing of Fire Doors
o Activating Sprinklers System such as Deluge Systems
o Activating Fire Extinguishing Systems, etc..
Cables
 Two types
o Those which need to continue to function during a fire condition- Resist fire for at least 30
minutes- Mineral insulated Sheathed Cable (MICC)
 Power supply cables and links to sounders & remote communication systems
o Those which can fail, having served their purpose

 Cables to detectors & fail-safe cables to auxiliary devices such as door release
devices
 Other than wired, there exists radio-based systems

 There is possibility of having interference from other sources

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FIRE AND PUBLIC HEALTH ENGINEERING

Ing. Johan A. Psaila

Types of Fire Alarm Systems

Conventional Monitored Systems

• Located on exit routes

• Located in such a way so that no person need to travel more than

• Height- 1.4 meters from floor in conspicuous position, free from

• Method of operation of all call points shall be identical

Point-type Smoke Detectors

Point-type Smoke Detectors

Point-type Smoke Detectors

Point-type Heat Detectors

1. Fixed Temperature Type

2. Temperature Rate-of-Rise Type

Line-type Heat Detectors

Gas Combustion Detectors

Summary of characteristics of automatic detectors

Considerations for Siting of FAP-

o Those which can fail, having served their purpose

 Other than wired, there exists radio-based systems

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