Development of a Flame Detector using a 4-wavelength Infrared Sensor

In this study, the effectiveness and feasibility of a flame detector using a 4-wavelength infrared sensor that can compensate for the non-fire alarm disadvantages of the existing infrared flame detector was analyzed. The proposed flame detector adds an additional infrared sensor to the existing flame detector that uses two or three infrared sensors. The information from the additional sensor was used to determine non-fire alarms. To determine the fire/non-fire, wavelength information of the flame emitted from the fire source is required. To obtain this wavelength information, various fire sources, such as halogen lamps, spectrum analysis, fan heaters, and arc welding, were analyzed. To analyze the wavelength characteristics of each fire source, spectrum analysis (fast fourier transform, FFT) of wavelengths was performed in the central processing unit (CPU) of the flame detector, and the intensity of each wavelength was measured. Additionally, two wavelengths (3.95 μm and 5.3 μm) were used to discriminate non-fire alarms, and the parameters for judging fire/non-fire more accurately were derived using the information on these two wavelengths. To confirm the operation characteristics of the 4-wavelength infrared sensor flame detector, a fire test was performed using n-heptane. The results of the experiment indicate that the fire signal was generated accurately in the fire source experiment using n-heptane, and the non-fire alarm could be accurately identified in the non-fire source experiment of halogen lamps, fan heaters, and arc welding.

Validity of Bench Test Method for Infrared Flame Detector

In this study, the validity of an indoor bench test to replace and overcome the limitations of the real-range test, an infrared flame detector sensitivity test, was analyzed. A micro burner (diameter 6 mm) was used to substitute for the infrared flame detector. In order to measure the amount of light by distance, the voltage at the output end of the IR sensor was acquired. In addition, normal heptane (n-heptane) was used as a fuel for the actual distance experiment, and the amount of light at each distance was measured using an IR sensor. A bench tester was developed to measure the light output characteristics of infrared flame detectors by distance inside, and the actual distance optical characteristics from outside were measured and compared. As a result, both methods were able to confirm the same optical characteristics by distance. This study confirmed the validity of the bench test method conducted inside, which can replace the experiment at the actual distance conducted to confirm the performance of the infrared flame detector. If this test method is used in the future, it is believed the flame detector will improve product quality and development.

Audio Assistance for Blind People Using Global System for Mobile Communication Module

In this article an audio based assistive technology for the blind people is proposed and help them navigate in an indoor as well as outdoor environment. A wearable device consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, flame detector, gas sensors and GSM module incorporated in an Arduino is used to alert the blind person of the various situations. A headphone attached to the wearable device will warn about the relevant situation. The wearable device is built using the Arduino-Uno and is tested in different conditions. The test have successfully demonstrated the capability of the device in the indoor as well as outdoor environment. The device has demonstrated better results compared to existing devices in the market.

Study on Development and Feasibility of Bench Tester for UV Flame Detector

In this study, the concept of bench test was established to replace the real distance test conducted outdoors for determining the sensitivity of UV flame detectors. In addition, the experimental apparatus of the bench test was developed and its validity was confirmed. The fire source of bench experiments used a microburner (6 mm diameter) using liquefied petroleum gas, and the bench test was performed with a flame height of 5 cm. The flame detector used in the experiment was a UV flame detector, and the amount of light was measured up to 2.4 m at a distance of 0.2 m from the fire source. The amount of light was used by converting the output signal of the UV sensor of the flame detector into an electrical signal. The fire source of the real distance test used normal heptane (n-Heptane) and measured the light up to 36 m at 5 m intervals. As a result of comparing the distance-light quantity measured in the two experiments, a straight line with the same slope was obtained and it was confirmed that bench test is possible indoors. The results of this study, if used by manufacturers in the development of flame detectors, will enable quality and performance improvements.