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WhatIsaFlameDetector?

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What Is a Flame Detector?

Category: Industry

A flame detector is a type of device that uses optical sensors in order to detect flames. Flame
detectors are used mostly at hydrogen stations in order to prevent any fires from happening.
Essentially, there are seven different types of flame detectors available. These types include
ultraviolet, infrared, UV/IR, IR/IR, IR/IR/IR, visible sensors and video cameras.

Flame Detector
Thermal Detector
Heat Detector
Fire Detector
Flame Detection
Infrared Photodiode

Ultraviolet detectors have the ability to detect fires and explosions in three to four milliseconds.
From the moment that a small flame has been ignited, an ultraviolet detector can distinguish the
type of flame. While incredibly accurate, ultraviolet detectors can be fooled by sunlight,
radiation, arc welding, and lightning.

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An infrared flame detector works by using an infrared band. When hot gasses are released near
an infrared detector, a small thermal imaging camera immediately picks up on the presence of
these gasses. On occasion, other sources of hot gas that happen to be near an infrared flame
detector can cause this type of detector to set off a false alarm.

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UV/IR detectors use a combination of both ultraviolet and infrared technology to detect heat.
These detectors gather information from an ultraviolet perspective and an infrared perspective.
When these two technologies work together, false alarms are often minimized. Similarly, an
IR/IR flame detector detects flames within two infrared frequencies. Thus, IR/IR detectors are
also able to eliminate most false alarms.
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Even more accurate than IR/IR or UV/IR detectors are IR/IR/IR detectors that use three different
infrared frequencies in order to detect a flame. Since an IR/IR/IR detector works by comparing
three wavelength bands, it is nearly impossible for this type of flame detector to detect anything
other than a dangerous flame or fire. Frequently, visible sensors are added to a flame detector
in order to detect any flames that may be visible. When combined with a highly accurate
detector, a visible sensor tends to eliminate any type of false alarm.

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Lastly, a closed circuit video camera may be able to detect any flame or fire. However, as is the
case with any other kind of camera, these cameras can be triggered by any kind of smoke or fog,
which makes this type of flame detector the least reliable. While all kinds of flame detectors are
used in industrial settings, such as hydrogen stations, residential fire alarms are also considered
flame detectors. Without these devices, fires would not be detected, which could lead to a
massive explosion, fire, or other incident.
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Article Details
Written By: Harriette Halepis
Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
Last Modified Date: 22 March 2015
Copyright Protected:
2003-2015 Conjecture Corporation
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Discuss this Article
MrMoody
Post 4

@miriam98 - Thats a fascinating question. I think computer technology would in

fact help. One area might be image analysis, where it could study a scene to
determine if there is anything unusual about it.
I know image analysis is used in some motion detectors, so maybe this could be
combined with an optical flame detector to produce something that is really
accurate.

miriam98
Post 3

@everetra - I notice that in order to eliminate false alarms, the best flame detectors
use smart technology.
The article mentions the IR/IR/IR flame detectors as being the most accurate
because they compare the different wavelengths of light to determine if a
dangerous flame has in fact been lit.
Thats why I call it smart technology, because it requires comparing different values.
I wonder if these kinds of detectors have any computerized circuitry, and if not,
would the insertion of computer technology make these or other detectors even
more accurate?

everetra
Post 2

@allenJo - Yes, by I think that the flame detector is more accurate. Remember, the
fire detector doesnt just detect the fires; it also detects the nearby gases.
Any flame that is ignited is bound to release gases into the atmosphere. I think
smoke detectors work on gas smells as well so I think the principle between the two
is similar.
Also remember that before there is smoke, there is a flame, so I think that the flame
detector is the more accurate technology. It nips the problem in the bud, at the very
instant that it happens.

Related Flame Detector Thermal Detector Heat Detector Fire Detector Flame Detection
Topics
allenJo
Post 1

My first impression is that a flame detector works differently than a smoke detector,
if I understand correctly.
All of the different detectors that are described in this article rely on gases or
flames, and the detectors use the light spectrum to detect them.
What if you have smoke without any visible flames? I think a smoke detector works
differently, as it detects mainly the smoke.
Ive had my smoke detector go off when something burned but there were no
longer any flames and so I think the technology is different.

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