- Author
-
Goedeke, A. D.
- Title
- Characterization and Testing of Optical Fire Detectors and Immunity to False Alarm. Final Report. July 1989-December 1989.
- Coporate
- Donmar Limited, Newport Beach, CA
- Sponsor
- Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, FL
- Report
-
ESL-TR-90-01,
April 1992,
58 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
fire detectors
|
flase alarms
|
fire detection
|
aircraft fires
|
aircraft hangars
- Identifiers
- optical fire detectors; false alarm sources; qualification tests
- Abstract
- Optical fire detectors can respond to many sources of UV and IR radiations, including non fire sources. The occurrence of false alarms and "dumps" of fire suppressants in aircraft hangars was substantiated during this study. It was also verified that many potential false alarm sources exist that may affect optical fire detection systems. The feasibility of measuring the spectral characteristics of these potential false alarm sources was established as well as the feasibility of developing qualification test that, when implemented by the detector industry or certified testing entity, will result in the increase of detector reliability against false alarm potentials. Current optical fire detectors perform according to the specification to which they are purchased. Problems with false alarms are thus related to the lack of detailed specifications that need to be provided to industry for future detector procurements. It was concluded that a Phase 2 effort would result in reducing the potential down-time of fire protection systems, increasing the availability of mission-essential aircraft and increasing mission success survivability.