Vesda Air Sampling Detection

Where to use it..

What is Air Sampling Smoke Detection?

• A detection system that actively draws multiple air samples from a fire zone, via a pipe network, to a centralized detector

Equivalency

– NPFA 72, 5.7.3.3.1, BS5839-1, 21.1.3, AS1670, 6.3:

“Each sampling port of an Aspirating Smoke-

type smoke detector shall be treated as a spot”

=

The 7 Reasons for using Air Sampling Smoke Detection

When Business Continuity is Paramount

When Smoke is Difficult to Detect

When Unobtrusive Detection is Required

When Evacuation is a Challenge

When Maintenance Access is Difficult

When Environmental Conditions are Difficult

When Suppression Systems are Present7

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When Business Continuity is Paramount

• When fire is a major threat to lives

& business

• Very early warning ensures early

intervention1

Conventional Detection is too late

• Smoke and fire damage occurs at Stage 2

The incipient stage (violet) is where smoke awareness is imperative

Detecting at the Source

• VESDA In-cabinet detection provides the earliest

possible detection within critical process equipment

Sample

tubes pull

air from

inside

equipment

cabinets

Case Study

“With VESDA we always know we have the best chance of catching any fire before any other measure might be needed. VESDA has never let us down and in a business like ours, that is critical.”

Karl Smith

Building Services

Manager

• Situation: SunGard needed to protect their new

Technology Centre to ensure ‘always on’ service for their

customers.

• Solution: 42 VESDA LaserPLUS smoke detectors

monitor the return air of the room cooling units + the room space at high level. All detectors are networked to the site’s 24-hour manned control room. VESDA provides very early warning & point detectors initiate sprinkler sequences if necessary. VESDA also monitors all external air entering the building to ensure no nuisance alarms are caused by outside sources

When Smoke is Difficult to Detect

-Smoke is diluted by the high air

movement of air conditioning

systems2-Smoke is diluted and stratifies into

layers in spaces with high ceilings &

large volumes

High Air Flow Environments

– Computer rooms

– Telecommunication facilities

– Clean rooms

– Fabs

Smoke Detection in AHU Ducts

VESDA sample pipe can be installed in a supply or return duct to detect smoke whether the HVAC unit is running or off

Smoke Detection & High Ceilings

In a room with a high ceiling, smoke is diluted by the large

volume of air. It stratifies into a mushroom cloud as it cools.

e.g. Atria, Airports, Warehouses, Stadiums, Convention

Centers

Case Study

• Situation: The glass-roof of their

central atrium is 210 ft (64 m) above the floor.

Installing & maintaining smoke detectors

installed on the ceiling would be very difficult

• Solution: VESDA LaserPLUS smoke

detectors were placed at accessible points to

allow easy maintenance without scaffolding or

access equipment

Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center, Grapevine, TX

When Maintenance Access is Difficult

–Servicing smoke detectors installed:

–On high ceilings

–In roof spaces or under floors

–Above equipment racks

–Above production areas

–Inside ducts

–In elevator shafts

–Always difficult and

–sometimes impossible!

3

When Maintenance Access is Difficult

VESDA detectors can be installed in

an accessible location. Only the

sample pipe is in the inaccessible

area

Case Study

Bruce Power Station

Situation:This coal-powered electricity plant has many

underground cable tunnels that needed very early

warning fire protection, but climbing into the tunnels

for maintenance of smoke detectors was difficult.

Solution:VESDA detectors were installed in

accessible locations, above tunnel

entrances, to allow easy maintenance.

The VESDA sample pipes run along

the ceiling of the cable tunnels.

When Unobtrusive Detection is Required

• Cathedrals

• Museums

• Mansions and Estates

• Ornate Architecture

• Modern Architecture

• Prisons

4

Case Study

Situation: Inmates would frequently vandalize smoke

detectors in the cells, resulting in high

maintenance costs and the risk of a fire not

being detected

Solution: VESDA detection points were installed

behind air vents, inaccessible to inmates.

The Youth Detention Center for Disorderly Boys NH, USA

Sample point behind vent

When Evacuation is a Challenge

•ASD provides very early warning to have maximum time for evacuation

– Where large numbers

of people are

concentrated in one

area

– Where the exit paths

are restricted

– When occupants need

extra help

5University of Florida “O Dome”

When Evacuation is a Challenge

• Railway Stations

• Airports

• Stadiums

• Hospitals

Case Study

• Situation: 780,000 square feet

• 150 +/- feet from event floor level to top of roof

(110 feet from event floor to bottom of truss)

• 396 feet clear span

• Building is a circular shape with a box truss

roof structure.

• Solution: VESDA smoke detectors were

installed suspended in the truss system

• Allows early detection, remedy without

evacuation

Charlotte Arena

When Environmental Conditions are Difficult

•Aggressive environments with high levels of pollution or extreme temperature conditions can be effectively protected with VESDA

– Cold Storage Facilities

– Production Areas

– Paper Mills

– Industrial Plants

– Underground Tunnels

– Mines

6

When Environmental Conditions are Difficult

Paper Processing

Tobacco Processing

Food Production

Cold Storage

Classified Environments

• VESDA is FM Hazardous listed Class 1 Div 2, Groups A, B, C & D

Hazardous location rating for abnormal conditions in areas where combustible gases

may be present

• VESDA Exd is Ex d IIB T6 classifiedAir sampling smoke detection in hazardous areas

The VESDA Ex d has been specifically designed to provide very early warning smoke detection capability within hazardous area locations that may contain flammable gases.

It satisfies the need of those end users who implement risk based fire-engineering practices and recognize the value of their critical assets.

The VESDA Ex d detector is certified as Ex d IIB T6 compliant. This certification confirms that the enclosure can withstand an internal explosion and prevent the transmission of the explosion to the surrounding explosive atmosphere. Gas Group IIB includes but is not limited to ammonia, propane and methanol. The T6 classification allows use of the VESDA Ex d in hazardous areas classified T1 through to T6.

When Suppression Systems are Present

•Early warning gives

immediate response to avoid

damage by activating the

suppression system

•- business survival could

ultimately depend on an

integrated detection and

suppression system -- that

offers early warning and fast

response

7

Did you know that 43 percent of businesses closed by fire never reopen?

Another 29 percent fail within three years

Codes and Standards

• VESDA products have extensive worldwide approvals

– UL

– ULC

– FM

– CSFM

– MEA

– LPC

– VdS

– AFNOR

– SSL

– CCCF

– KOFIC

– HKFS.