Fireray Beam Detectors Protect Mercedes-Benz World
FFE’s Fireray end-to-end optical beam smoke detectors are protecting the glass entrance atrium of Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey. “Because of the atrium’s high ceiling, conventional smoke detectors were not suitable for this installation,” commented Managing Director Mark Osborne. “A sprinkler system was also not an option for the same reason,” he added.
Beam smoke detectors provide wide-area detection and are used when it is impractical, inappropriate or not cost-effective to use traditional point-type detectors. They are ideally suited to large interiors with high ceilings, such as Mercedes-Benz World’s atrium, as they enable coverage of a large area at minimal cost.
A particular challenge of this of this application was the fact that the entire atrium is made of glass, which means high levels of ambient sunlight – this can affect conventional beam detectors by giving false readings. FFE has developed patented light-cancellation technology specifically for this type of installation. By actively monitoring ambient light levels on the detector and ‘subtracting’ them away from the ‘real’ signal, the Fireray detector can operate under the most difficult light conditions, including bright sunlight.
By using infrared beams, Fireray beam detectors can identify smoke over much larger areas than traditional fire detection devices, making them perfectly suited for large indoor spaces such as entrance halls, atria, warehouses, sports arenas and aircraft hangars. Usually wall-mounted at near-ceiling level, they work by transmitting a beam of invisible infrared light across the building space to be protected. A receiver detects and measures the light and can recognise smoke interference anywhere along the beam path, triggering the alarm signal when the pre-determined threshold is reached.
