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Safety NAVIGATING THE KEY CHALLENGES OF OPTICAL FLAME DETECTION
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What do mobile phones, the internet, personal computers, and optical fl ame detection have in common? Their origins date back some 50 years. In the decades since, of course, these devices have become an essential part of our world.
Is Game-Changing Fire Protection Coming?
As technology continues to evolve, optical fl ame detection is gaining relevance in fi re protection.
The innovations of tomorrow, however, must start with understanding the challenges of today. So, let’s review some of the optical fl ame protection challenges facing fi re protection professionals right now.
Challenge #1: Field Installation
Perhaps the biggest challenge encountered by end users of optical fl ame detection is deciding where to install the detectors. Many factors are involved in optimizing detector installation, so here’s a checklist of a few considerations for installation of optical fl ame detectors in the fi eld.
Mounting Location/Optical Alignment
Optical fl ame detectors are proven performers in helping protect people and equipment within high-hazard areas— however, performance can suffer if they’re not installed in an optimal location. Unknown or unidentifi ed locations for detector mounting and optical misalignment can defeat the purpose of having detectors in the fi rst place.
“There’s a delicate balance between mounting optical fl ame detectors to ensure proper coverage and protection versus having the detectors accessible for troubleshooting and maintenance. Mounted in the wrong location and there’s a potential for not having enough coverage. Mounted for coverage but without regard for maintenance and it’s likely that they’ll be too far out of reach and not receive the recommended maintenance,” says Dave Opheim, Business Development Manager for MSA Flame & Gas Detection. “Before you can accurately answer the question, ‘Where do we put these things?’ we recommend working with a fl ame application engineer who can perform a coverage mapping study or job site survey.”
In addition, improperly installing optical fl ame detectors can lead to other problems, such as improper optical alignment. The fl ame detector mounting bracket can play a signifi cant role.
“While the bracket may look basic,” says Opheim, “it’s anything but. In fact, this bracket is quite ingenious because you can mount it vertically or horizontally. This enables much more installation fl exibility, especially with complex job sites that have a lot of equipment in a small space.”
Mounting and alignment recommendations include:
• Mounting to solid structural steel using proper mounting fasteners.
• Aiming the device at a 5 to 15 degree downward angle to help prevent dust collection on the detector face.
• Employing fl exible conduit or armored cabling within 18 inches of the device to allow for aiming adjustments.
• For outdoor installations, utilize a weather guard accessory to keep the optics clean and clear of optical contaminants.
PIN OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2024
When it comes to installation, the two most common approaches are geographic coverage and scenario coverage. With the geographic coverage approach, coverage is assessed within a defi ned geographic fi re ignition zone covered by one or more detectors. With the scenario coverage approach, coverage is assessed on likely fi re scenarios within a detection zone with consideration given to frequency and catastrophic magnitude.
Confi guration/Logging
During fi eld installation, it’s also important to be very clear with detector confi guration settings, such as sensitivity and time delay parameters. Again, a mapping study can assist in identifying the ideal settings for these.
As a next-generation detector, the FL5000 MSIR Flame Detector features Bluetooth technology that easily enables confi guration, modifi cation of detector settings, and diagnostics via the exclusive MSA Flame Connect app.
“The Bluetooth capabilities and internal diagnostics within the FL5000 Flame Detector are especially meaningful and useful,” says Opheim. “The FL5000 Flame Detector gives end users the
Field-of-View (FOV)/Coverage
Different optical fl ame detectors offer varying detection ranges and fi eld-of-view (FOV). To help achieve the best coverage, Opheim suggests matching the environment with the device specifi cations.
“Aligning the FOV coverage with the actual job site is important,” says Opheim. “Depending on the environment and the application, that may mean placing the detector near the potential ignition source or it may be positioning the detector further away. This is another good reason for performing a mapping study or jobsite survey.”
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