Using Thermal Imagery for Early Fire Detection
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Using Thermal Imagery for Early Fire Detection
Tip provided by:
Risk Control Engineer
AON Risk Management Service
Taipei, Taiwan
Loss prevention is a top priority for high level managers because fire or smoke can damage critical or sensitive utilities such as electricity substation or network switches. Under the right conditions, an infrared imager can be utilized to detect fire in its earliest stages.
While fire and smoke may cause moderate property damage, they often create huge business interruptions which can compromise a company’s reputation. In some facilities, extremely sensitive air sampling systems are installed in critical utility areas in addition to traditional fire and smoke detectors. These sensitive air sampling systems can detect fire in its formative stages before smoke become visible.
Historically, response personnel have spent considerable time to locate the origin of smoke after an alarm has sounded. For instance, a main electric substation can contain dozens of switchgear enclosures. In such areas, identifying a fault by sight or smell can require substantial time.
According to the US FCC, the majority fire damage to electronic equipment is due to smoke. Smoke generated from printed circuit board components is highly corrosive. Even small amounts of smoke can have adverse long-term effects on electronics.
In order to prevent a fire, time is of the essence in locating critical hot spots. If not detected in time, electrical hot spots may ignite nearby flammable materials. Once a fire begin within an enclosure, it can double in size every 30 seconds.
Once an alarm sounds, a trained operator can use a thermal imager to quickly perform a hot spot search to help prevent a fire. Hence, a thermal camera is a worth investment to prevent serious fire damage at the incipient hot spot stage within critical utilities.
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