May 23, 2021 Flame Detector
A flame detector is a solution for any application where fire may result in a large loss of capital equipment, where the risk to personnel is high. The releases to flammable liquids and gases can ignite, sometimes violently when mixed with air, leading to injury and property damage. Having flame detectors will enhance the safety of processes involving flammable material by triggering an alarm when fire erupts, thus providing early warning and helping ensure people’s safety.
There is four types of flame detectors. The first type of flame detectors is infrared (IR) flame detectors. This type of flame detector work within the infrared spectral band. The specific spectral pattern in the infrared region emitted from hot gases can be sensed with a thermal imaging camera (TIC). False alarms may be triggered by other hot surfaces. The typical frequency where a single frequency IR flame detector is sensitive is in the 4.4 micrometre range. The typical response time for this type of flame detector is 3 to 5 seconds.
The second type of flame detectors is Ultraviolet (UV) detectors. UV detectors work with a wavelength shorter than 300 nm. It is able to detect fire and explosions within 3 to 4 milliseconds due to the UV radiation emitted at the instant of their ignition. False alarms could be triggered by UV sources such as lightning, arc welding, radiation, sunlight etc. Thus, in order to reduce the chance of false alarm, 2 to 3 seconds delay is often included.
The third type of flame detectors is Ultraviolet and Infrared flame detectors. This type of flame detectors is a combination of both UV and IR flame detectors. UV and IR detectors can minimize false alarms.
The last type of flame detectors is Multispectrum Infrared flame detectors (MSIR). It able to measure radiant energy in multiple discrete spectral regions to provide enhanced discrimination against non-fire radiant energy/false alarm sources. It is suited for application where dirty, smoky fires may occur. Deliver exceptional detection range to most hydrocarbon fuels, up to 200 feet away depending on fire type and size, and moderate speed of response. It can provide outdoor and indoor coverage. MSIR flame detectors can provide the best overall sensitivity to a fire along with the highest level of immunity to infrared radiation.
Industrial Process and plant Flame Detection Requirements
- False Alarm Immunity
- One of the most important considerations for the selection of flame detectors.
- It is a productivity and cost issue
- Flame detectors need to discriminate between actual flames and radiation from sunlight, lightning, arc welding, hot objects, and other non-flame sources.
- Detection Range and Response Time
- Greater the distance, the shorter the time that given flames sensing technology requires to detect a flame, the more effective it will be in providing early notification of a fire alarm and initiating mitigation actions.
- Field of View (FOV)
- Detection range and FOV define area coverage per device. Flame detectors with larger FOV may help reduce the number of the flame detector required to cover a certain area.
- Environmental factors
- Operate over a wide temperature range
- Communication capabilities
- Effective communication of outputs like 4 to 20 mA analog signals or relay contacts for remote alarm or fault indication.
Flame Detector is available through Quick Time Engineering Inc.
Quick Time Engineering Inc is an international company with offices and distribution networks in the USA, Hong Kong, Europe and Malaysia.
In its 20 years of operation since 1998, Quick Time Engineering Inc had emerged from a local engineering company with a single staff that provided solutions in factory automation to become nowadays a company that serves the Oil & Gas industries, EPC contractors, System Integrators and other industrial automation and process control companies worldwide. Customers from over 50 countries worldwide trust us with their need for process control instruments and industrial automation products.
For more information about Quick Time Engineering Inc, visit www.quicktimeonline.com or email enquiry@quicktimeonline.com
