Automatic detection and

alarm system
What is automatic detection and alarm system
• fire alarm system warns people when smoke, fire, carbon
monoxide or other fire-related emergencies are detected. These
alarms may be activated automatically from smoke detectors
and heat detectors or may also be activated via manual fire
alarm activation devices such as manual call points or pull
stations
Different Types of Fire Alarm
Detectors
• At the core of a fire alarm system are the detection devices,
from sophisticated intelligent smoke detectors to simple
manually operated break glass units, there are a wide array of
different types, but we can divide them into groups including:
• – Heat detectors
• – Smoke detectors
• – Carbon Monoxide detectors
• – Multi-sensor detectors
• – Manual Call Points

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1. Heat Detectors

• Heat detector can either work on a fixed temperature basis,

where it will trigger an alarm if the temperature exceeds a
pre-set value or they can work on the rate of change in
temperature.
• Commonly Heat detectors work in a similar way to an
electrical fuse, the detectors contain a eutectic alloy which is
heat sensitive when a certain temperature is reached the
alloy turns from a solid to a liquid which in turn triggers the
alarm.

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2. Smoke Detectors

• There are three basic types of smoke detectors including:

• – Ionization
• – Light Scattering
• – Light Obscuring

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2.1. Ionization Smoke Detector
• Ionization Smoke detector generally contains two chambers.
The first is used as a reference to compensate for changes in
ambient temperature, humidity or pressure.
• The second chamber contains a radioactive source, usually
alpha particle, which ionizes the air passing through the
chamber where a current flows between two electrodes.
• When smoke enters the chamber the current flow decreases.
This drop in current flow is used to initiate an alarm.

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2.2. Light Scattering Smoke Detector
• The light scattering smoke detector operates on the
Tyndall effect; a photocell and light source are separated
from each other by a darkened chamber such that the light
source does not fall on the photocell.
• The passage of smoke into the chamber causes the light
from the source to be scattered and fall on the photocell.
The photocell output is being used to initiate an alarm.

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2.3. Light Obscuring Smoke Detector
• In the Light obscuring smoke detector, smoke interferes with
a light beam between a light source and photocell. The
photocell measures the amount of light it receives.
• The variation in photocell output, is being used to initiate an
alarm.
• This type of fire detection equipment can be used to protect
large areas with the light source and photocell positioned
some distance apart.

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3. Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Carbon monoxide detectors are known also as CO fire detectors are

electronic detectors used to indicate the outbreak of fire by sensing the
level of carbon monoxide in the air.
• Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced by combustion.
• In this instance, these detectors are not the same as Carbon monoxide
detectors used in the home for protecting residents against carbon
monoxide produced by incomplete combustion in appliances such as gas
fires or boilers.
• Carbon Monoxide fire detectors use the same type of sensor as those in
the home but are more sensitive and respond more quickly.
• Carbon monoxide detectors have an electrochemical cell, which senses
carbon monoxide, but not smoke or any other combustion products

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4. Multi-Sensor Detectors
• The Multi-sensor detectors combine inputs from both optical
and heat sensors and process them using a sophisticated
algorithm built into the detector circuitry.
• When polled by the control panel the detector returns a
value based on the combined responses from both the
optical and heat sensors. They are designed to be sensitive
to a wide range of fires.

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5. Manual Call Points
• A Manual Call Point or Break Glass Call Point is a device
which enables personnel to raise the alarm by breaking the
frangible element on the fascia; this then triggers the alarm.

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Different Types of Fire Alarm
Systems
• Fire Alarm Systems can be broken down into four main
types;
• – Conventional
• – Addressable
• – Intelligent
• – Wireless
• Let’s spend some time considering each.

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1. Conventional Fire Alarm Systems
• In a Conventional Fire Alarm System, physical cabling is used to interconnect
several call points and detectors, the signals from which are wired back to the
main control unit.
• Call points and detectors are arranged in “Zones” to simplify locating the cause
of the alarm, this is important for both the fire brigade and general building
management.
• Each zone is indicated at the Fire Alarm Control Panel either with an indicator
lamp, a text display or in some cases both.
• It makes sense that the more we can divide a building into zones, the more
accurate locating the alarm trigger will be.
• The Control Panel is wired to a minimum of two sounder circuits which could
contain bells, electronic sounders or other audible fire alarm devices.
• It is these devices which sound the alarm when triggered.

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2. Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

• The detection principle of an Addressable System is the same as a Conventional

System except that each detector is given a set Address (usually by means of a dip-
switch) and the Control Panel can then determine exactly which detector or call point
has initiated the alarm.
• The detection circuit is wired as a loop and up to 99 devices may be connected to
each loop.
• It is common for the loop to be fitted with Loop Isolation Modules so that the loop is
sectioned in order to ensure that a short circuit or single fault will only cause the loss
of a small part of the system; allowing the rest of the system to function normally.
• In the previous two systems, the “Conventional Fire Alarm System” and the
“Addressable Fire Alarm System” the detectors are not considered “intelligent” as
they can only give output signals representing the value of detected phenomena.
• It is left up to the Control Unit to decide whether there is a fire, fault, pre-alarm or
other.

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3. Intelligent Fire Alarm Systems
• However, in our next type of System, which is an Intelligent Fire
Alarm system, each detector effectively incorporates its own
computer which evaluates the environment around it and
communicates to the Control Panel whether there is a fire, fault or
the detector head needs cleaning.
• Essentially Intelligent Systems are far more complex and
incorporate far more facilities than Conventional or Addressable
Systems. Their primary purpose is to help prevent the occurrence
of false alarms.
• Intelligent Fire Alarm Systems are available in 2, 4, and 8 loop
versions which means large premises can be monitored from one
single panel.
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4. Wireless Fire Alarm Systems
• The final type of system we will consider is the Wireless Fire Alarm
System.
• These are an effective alternative to traditional wired fire alarm
systems for all applications. They utilize secure, license-free radio
communications to interconnect the sensors and devices with the
controllers.
• It is a simple concept, which provides many unique benefits and is a
full intelligent fire detection system without the need for cabling.
• In this article, we have learned that Fire Alarm systems are fitted in
many buildings we encounter every day and that they are used to
warn people within the building of an emergency fire-related
situation.
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