SecurityWorldMarket

23/10/2006

A fire detection first for System Sensor helps eliminate false alarms

London (UK)

False alarms are a serious problem. In 2004, more than 280,000 false alarms were generated by automatic fire detection systems, causing disruption, unnecessary cost and wasting the time of the Fire and Rescue Services.

System Sensor has addressed the problem, developing an innovative solution based on advanced technology - the new COPTIR is the first multi-criteria fire detector to integrate four independent sensors into a single point fire detector. Extensive testing confirms that this latest development provides a step change in detection technology; it is the first detector specifically optimised to address the false alarm issue whilst also offering a major improvement in response times.
The detector consists of independent Carbon Monoxide, Photo, Thermal and Infra Red sensors, all managed by an embedded microprocessor running very sophisticated and responsive algorithms. Uniquely, the fourth detection element is a light sensor that provides environment monitoring to improve the false alarm performance of the device, and also improve response times to fast flaming fires whose detection has traditionally been a challenge to Photo and Photo Thermal smoke detectors. The integration of continual monitoring of all four major products of a fire has resulted in a detector that has ultra high immunity against false alarms whilst responding far more quickly to an actual fire. It is also highly configurable from the panel, allowing the detection system to be profiled to changes in the use and occupation of the protected building.
The culmination of a considerable investment in R & D, COPTIR has been extensively tested, not just under the standard EN54 test conditions, but for 21 different false alarm tests and 29 different fire alarm tests, probably one of the most comprehensive series of tests ever run when a new device has been developed. The test results show that COPTIR should make a significant contribution to the industry's efforts to lower false alarm rates.



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