How Can Facilities Ensure Early Fire Detection in Hazardous Environments?

by Louise Seager

Industrial fires cause extensive damage across the globe each year, with the highest-risk fires found in environments where detection is most difficult. Those industries most at risk of insufficient detection are oil and gas, power, chemical processing, mining, and transport.

The consequences of delayed detection are serious, from risk to life, equipment damage, and environmental impact. This is why in many fire scenarios, the difference between minor damage and catastrophe less than 2 minutes.

Understanding detection challenges

Traditional fire detection systems operate at the mercy of their environments. They’re often compromised by environmental complexities such as dust, humidity, corrosive materials and smoke layering. Across widespread distributions such as cable tunnels and pipelines, traditional systems struggle to operate effectively over long distances in inaccessible zones. Variable airflow contributes further to these detection challenges by dispersing smoke unpredictably.

These are just some of the many ways conventional fire detection technologies fall short:

Smoke Detectors:

Smoke detectors predominantly rely either on beam detectors or air samples (aspiration detactors) reaching the detector, meaning in poorly ventilated areas or open spaces they may fail to detect smoke or are completely blocked in areas where there is dirt or particles in the air and cover the lenses or block the ducts. Additionally,, smoke detectors are more likely to raise false alarms in environments where they are bombarded by dust, fumes or aerosols. Over time this exposure can build up, blocking sensors and stopping detection entirely.

Flame Detectors:

These detectors require a line of sight to the flames to detect a fire. This has its downfalls, as flame detectors are rendered ineffective in the event of an early-stage fire where flames are not visible yet or have been concealed. Flame detectors have the same vulnerability as smoke detectors, where they can become blocked by dust and debris in the surrounding environment.

Thermal Cameras:

Thermal cameras are often more effective for detecting large heat sources, not subtle anomalies or spikes in temperature – meaning fires may not be detected until it’s too late. As with the previous detection methods, thermal cameras are also at risk of being blocked or damaged by environmental factors such as fog, controlled smoke clouds, or obstructions and they are also range limited and not suitable for larger areas .

The solution: Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS)

DTS uses fiber optic cables as linear heat sensors, continuously monitoring temperature along the entire length of the cable. A laser pulse is sent along the fiber, using backscatter to analyse and determine the temperature at every point along the fiber. This enables real-time thermal monitoring over widespread distances.

Compared to traditional systems, Distributed Temperature Sensing has countless benefits such as continuous coverage with no blind spots, and immunity to environmental interference such as dust, exhaust fumes and humidity. DTS provides ultra early detection, identifying temperature spikes as soon as they appear, with accuracy within 1°C and 1 meter. To further enhance efficiency, DTS uses no moving parts meaning low maintenance and high reliability.

Inside the FireLaser system

FireLaser is a purpose-built solution for industrial and hazardous environments, consisting of fiber optic linear heat detection, precise location-based alerts, configurable temperature thresholds, and integration-ready functions for fire suppression, SCADA and ventilation.

The reason FireLaser is so effective is because of its high standards of monitoring even in harsh, confined, or hazardous environments. Long cable runs make the system cost-effective when covering large infrastructure as well as its resistance to environmental wear and electromagnetic interference. Explosive environments are sensitive to electronic interference making monitoring systems complex to implement, but FireLaser’s fiber is completely passive with no electronics in the field, making it the perfect solution.

Benefits for high-risk industries

Fiber optic linear heat detection is the ideal solution for numerous high-risk applications such as:

Oil and gas/chemical plants:

Fiber optic can detect heat build-up in cable trays, tank farms and processing areas, minimising the risk of explosions from equipment overheating – a threat that often goes undetected by traditional monitoring systems.

Power cables and infrastructure:

Monitoring power cable tunnels, busbars and substation infrastructure for overheating with fiber optic is an incredibly effective way of reducing blackouts or downtime caused by electrical fires.

Road and Rail Tunnels:

In tunnel fires is of the essence; fiber optic is able to spot fires before smoke reduces visibility or evacuation becomes unsafe or impossible. FireLasers integration with other systems also allows for ventilation or suppression systems to be triggered instantly.

Warehousing/logistics/factories:

FireLaser monitors racking, electrical cabinets or large storage areas with minimal infrastructure, providing vital fire detection to protect assets.

Data centres and battery storage facilities:

Critical systems are vulnerable to cable or battery overheating. fiber optic fire detection protects these systems by detecting the earliest signs of overheating through configured temperature thresholds.

Partnering with Bandweaver for the future of high-risk industrial monitoring

FireLaser is backed by years of successful deployments, with applications in major infrastructure projects across the globe and a proven track record in critical, hazardous environments.

Our partners are set up for success with full support through our partner portal, including comprehensive training and datasheets to aid easy installation and integration into existing alarm infrastructure. The system is designed for a long lifecycle with low maintenance, using passive components that mean fewer points of failure.

Time for a change

In high-risk environments, every second counts so it’s time to deviate away from traditional systems that are often too slow or unreliable when conditions are most dangerous. FireLaser offers fast, accurate and scalable fire detection where it matters most.

Want to help reduce fire risks and improve safety across critical infrastructure? Speak to our team or find out how you can become a partner: https://www.bandweaver.com/about-bandweaver/partners/

FireLaser LHD

If a fire starts in a tunnel, how much time do you really have to react?

by Louise Seager

Imagine, you’re driving through a long tunnel when traffic starts to slow and suddenly, smoke fills the air. Visibility drops as headlights faintly glow through the haze; you instinctively check for an escape route but can’t see where to go. No warnings, no alarms. The tunnel becomes a trap, heat intensifying as toxic gases replace oxygen. Will emergency responders reach you in time?

Tunnel fires can reach 1,000°C in under 5 minutes – extreme temperatures such as these are hot enough to melt vehicles and infrastructure. One of the most dangerous environments for a fire to occur is in a tunnel, with limited exits, unpredictable smoke movement, and rapid heat build-up. This leads us to question: are fire detection systems reacting fast enough?

The science of fire spread in tunnels

Heat, smoke, and toxic fumes behave differently in a tunnel than in open-air environments. Often, tunnels are fitted with ventilation systems to reduce pollution; however, these systems can accidentally push smoke towards those evacuating. This means a superheated cloud of smoke and toxic gases travels faster than people can escape. Fire growth accelerates in this environment due to the confined space and poor ventilation, creating a wind tunnel effect that allows even small fires to grow rapidly. Temperatures also rise faster, increasing the risk of rapid flashover.

Traditional fire detection systems can take 2-5 minutes to trigger an alarm; this is often too late and allows fires to reach a critical size before suppression efforts begin. When comparing this to a timeline of fire escalation in a tunnel, the results are concerning:

– 1 Minute: A vehicle catches fire, building up heat without triggering an alarm.

– 3 Minutes: Thick clouds of smoke spread, making evacuation difficult.

– 5 Minutes: Flames engulf the tunnel; visibility drops to zero, and the fatalities are certain.

What if fire detection had happened at 30 seconds?

Emergency services would be alerted before the fire becomes uncontrollable for a more effective response, while tunnel operators can instantly trigger fire suppression or evacuation procedures. Overall, lives would be saved and damage to infrastructure minimised.

Why traditional fire detection fails in tunnels

Smoke Detectors:

  • Inconsistent, smoke moves unpredictably in tunnels due to ventilation and airflow complexities.
  • Exhaust fumes and humidity can cause false alarms or tamper with detection abilities.

Flame Detectors:

  • Due to requiring visible flames, fire detection occurs once a fire has escalated dangerously.
  • Blind spots within the tunnel can mean fires are missed.

Cameras:

  • Smoke can obscure vision before a camera can detect anything.
  • Thermal cameras only detect large heat sources, not early-stage temperature spikes.

False alarms are a significant downside of traditional detection systems; misinterpretation of dust, exhaust fumes, and environmental conditions leads to unnecessary closures and disruptions. Frequent false alarms can lead to alarm fatigue, which over time reduces the speed and efficiency of response times.

What happens when fire detection is too slow?

Failing to detect fires soon enough can have devastating effects. The Mont Blanc Tunnel Fire in 1999 is a harrowing example of this. One morning, a truck carrying flour and margarine caught fire inside the tunnel; this caused a rapid spread of both smoke and heat throughout. Due to fire detection systems failing to react in time, the fire was able to spread to devastating extremes while drivers were unaware of any dangers. As a result, people became trapped in their vehicles as flames engulfed the tunnel, causing 39 lives to be lost.

Comparatively, the Gleinalm Tunnel fire in 2018 was swiftly dealt with due to an innovative fire detection system. Within seconds the fire was detected, and tunnel fire suppression measures kicked in, allowing those in the tunnel to safely evacuate. This clearly shows the phenomenal impact of advanced fire detection systems in mitigating the risks associated with tunnel fires.

How FireLaser detects tunnel fires before they become disasters

Unlike traditional detectors, our cutting-edge fiber optic linear heat detection system FireLaser detects heat at its earliest stage, before flames or smoke even appear. This allows potential fires to be suppressed before they have a chance to spread. Due to the fiber optic sensing cable, organisations can rule out false alarms as the system is unaffected by airflow, vehicle emissions, fog, or dust.

To enhance fire response, FireLaser has real-time pinpoint accuracy to alert operators within seconds to the exact location of a temperature spike. Even in tunnels hundreds of meters long, the heat source can be located precisely, with no blind spots or gaps to ensure continuous monitoring. The versatility of our FireLaser system doesn’t just apply to its robustness and preciseness. FireLaser is scalable and adaptable to various tunnel types, such as road tunnels to prevent vehicle fires causing mass casualties, rail tunnels to ensure safe evacuation and train operator response, and utility tunnels to protect infrastructure from overheating cables or pipe failures.

Why tunnel operators & fire specialists choose Bandweaver’s FireLaser

Countless organisations globally trust in our fiber optic linear heat detection systems to guarantee safety in road, rail, and utility tunnels. FireLaser is proven to maintain its exceptional performance even in extreme tunnel conditions. Through successful implementation worldwide in high-risk tunnels, we know the system can withstand temperature extremes, humidity, and environmental contaminants.

We believe in making fire detection systems not only more effective in their performance but also in their usability as a tailored fire safety solution. FireLaser is highly adaptable, allowing easy integration into existing tunnel safety systems. Imagine how much quicker fire responses could be when FireLaser works alongside fire suppression, ventilation, and traffic management systems. This is also an incredibly cost-effective implementation, especially for larger tunnels, as there is no need for expensive infrastructure overhauls.

If you’ve worked with traditional fire detection systems, you’ll know the extensive maintenance required to keep them up and running. Through our FireLaser system, this is a thing of the past. With no moving parts or electronic sensors that fail over time, the system requires little to no maintenance over its long lifespan.

Every second counts

The difference between life and death in a tunnel fire is early detection. We’ve seen throughout the past decades traditional systems failing to react early enough, resulting in fatalities. It’s time for change; with the FireLaser system, tunnel operators have the best chance to detect and respond to fires quickly.

Our partners can offer their clients advanced fire safety solutions that allow for fast responses that save lives. Want to provide the best fire detection solutions for tunnels?

Get in touch to discuss our FireLaser system here.

Bandweaver to host webinar on protection of solar photovoltaic assets

by WebbedFeet

With the growing expansion of renewable and sustainable energy, solar photovoltaic assets play a key role in achieving a green energy future. As the number of assets continues to grow there are a number of issues that can be addressed through the use of state of the art fiber monitoring systems.

At 10am on Tuesday 19th November join a panel of experts as we explore the challenges of protecting solar photovoltaic assets.

Our webinar will cover both fire and security risks to photovoltaic assets of any size, from large scale solar farms to compact inner city facilities.

You’ll come away with an understanding of the technological principles of fiber optic monitoring systems, how they are implemented and how they can benefit owners and operators.

Register Now:
Details
DATE: 19/11/2024

TIME: 10am UTC / 11am CEST

LOCATION: Virtual

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE

About Bandweaver

With an installed base of over 60,000km and 7,500 systems worldwide, Bandweaver’s vision is to be the first choice for integrated distributed fiber optic sensing solutions across the globe. Since 2002, Bandweaver has been committed to delivering reliable, innovative, client-centric, and value-added products and services, via a dedicated and talented team of people.

Bandweaver manufactures and distributes advanced fiber optic monitoring sensors and integrated technologies, enabling customers to monitor, secure and keep personnel and critical assets safe.

Bandweaver’s solutions have been utilised for multiple applications, including road and rail tunnels and spurs as well as facility buildings, power infrastructure, escalators, and stations.

Utilising the latest technologies, Bandweaver provides solutions for Security, Fire, Power, and Pipelines.

For further information please contact our global team at info@bandweaver.com

Enhancing safety: Advanced Linear Heat Detection System for Asian Battery Storage Facility

by WebbedFeet

A leading distributor of electrical components, including lithium-ion batteries, faces unique safety challenges. While lithium-ion batteries are generally safe, they can emit toxic fumes if they catch fire. In the event of thermal runaway, a rapid and uncontrollable reaction can cause the fire to spread quickly, leading to a chain reaction that is difficult to contain. Unlike conventional fires, extinguishing a lithium-ion battery fire may require up to five times more water, making it a particularly complex hazard to manage.

The client required a state-of-the-art fire detection system to ensure safety in their facility, which stores lithium-ion batteries in multi-story bays within high, three-dimensional warehouses. With 400 bays in total, these enclosed spaces pose challenges for conventional fire detection technologies like beam detectors, video flame detection, and aspirating systems. Initially, the client considered installing low-cost smoke detectors in each bay, but they also sought a solution capable of detecting heat rise before thermal runaway occurs and before smoke is emitted, ensuring early intervention and minimising the risk of a fast-spreading fire.

Click here to read the full case study.

Predicting the future of the fire industry: key technologies to drive innovation

by Louise Seager

We live in an age of Artificial Intelligence and technological excellence that is consistently evolving to solve the many challenges businesses face. This impact can also be seen in the fire protection and prevention industry as new ways to detect and prevent fires emerge. Businesses within the fire industry have the opportunity to enhance and optimise their approach to fire protection in order to provide their clients with stronger, more effective solutions.

Why are preventative measures vital?

Each year in the UK, around 22,000 workplace fires occur with the potential to kill or seriously injure employees and customers and damage or destroy buildings, equipment, and stock. The financial repercussions are extensive, meaning 60% of private businesses never fully recover after a fire. On average, fire damage costs businesses £65,000, often a far higher cost than the price of implementing effective fire protection.

For this reason, we are dedicated to providing effective, reliable fire detection solutions to safeguard the future of our clients’ businesses. Our Linear Heat Detection systems allow monitoring over a wide distance and are specially tailored to suit hazardous environments. Fiber Optic distributed temperature sensing is one of the most effective key technologies available, especially when combined with our smart software and services to provide operators with the right information at the right time. This enables swift decision-making to minimise damage, avoid catastrophic failure, and reduce the financial, environmental, and reputational risk.

While this technology is at the forefront of fire protection due to its unique features and robust, reliable temperature sensing abilities, there’s always space to develop and evolve. Below are some of the key technologies expected to revolutionise the fire industry:

Artificial Intelligence

Arguably one of the most controversial tech developments, the evolution of AI is expected to have an exponential impact on the fire industry. With intelligent machine learning and uniquely tailored algorithms, AI can transform our approach to fire detection with abilities that far outweigh those of traditional systems.

Whereas current systems rely on sensors, beams, or the presence of a flame, AI can act as a constant surveyor from a remote location for early detection. An incredible case of this in practice is the ALERTWILdfire Network in the United States of America. Their system uses AI to monitor and analyse live video streams from hundreds of mountaintop cameras to detect smoke or potential fires. Through machine learning, the algorithm can detect potential fires far earlier than traditional systems to alert first responders and fire departments. Quicker response times are vital; containing the fire earlier eliminates the risk of widespread damage to the wildlife that would have a significant environmental impact.

AI’s ability to handle and analyse data to discern patterns can be utilised by the fire industry to enhance the efficiency of resource allocation. By partnering with technology companies, the London Fire Brigade has worked to develop an AI-powered software designed to revolutionise resource allocation. The software analyses historical fire incident data and other necessary information to predict high-risk areas for fires. Using this information, the London Fire Brigade can allocate resources efficiently to areas they’re needed most, as well as target prevention efforts in specific districts.

Virtual Reality

The use of virtual reality for training and simulation is not unheard of; however, this is now being utilised to provide accessible training for the masses. ‘Project iEvac’ was developed by the NFPA as a VR training program for teaching safe evacuation in the event of a fire. Using virtual reality, the training module can simulate various fire scenarios under different building environments, giving users the chance to experience the difficulties and complexities of evacuating a building due to a fire. The VR headset takes users through interactive exercises, testing their evacuation skills, decision-making abilities, and situational awareness.

The availability and costs of training equipment and tools can be a significant obstacle to equipment familiarisation. With VR, firefighters can be trained on the proper use and operation of various tools and equipment through simulations. The US Navy has begun using a VR training module that includes various scenarios such as shipboard fires, engine room emergencies, and aircraft carrier flight deck incidents. These immersive training exercises use VR headsets to simulate real-world situations and practice the use of firefighting tools such as fire hoses, nozzles, breathing apparatus, and thermal imaging cameras.

The ability to recreate an incident using VR makes it a brilliant solution for incident command training for fire officers and incident commanders. The FDNY uses VR for incident command training with modules using simulations of large-scale emergencies, multi-alarm fires, hazardous material incidents, and mass casualty incidents. These engage incident commanders in immersive training exercises to practice managing complex incidents, coordinating response efforts, allocating resources, and communicating with personnel on the ground.

Robots

Emerging technology, especially robotics, is revolutionising the fire industry by offering solutions that allow access to hazardous areas without putting personnel at risk. A prime example of this is the Tokyo Fire Department in Japan, which has integrated robots into its firefighting and emergency response operations.

One standout innovation is the “dragon drone,” a robotic system equipped with thermal imaging cameras and advanced sensors. This drone can navigate smoke-filled environments, providing real-time data on fire conditions, such as identifying hotspots and locating potential victims. With the ability to fly into hard-to-reach or dangerous areas, the dragon drone enhances situational awareness and helps firefighters make more informed, strategic decisions.

By utilising robotics like the dragon drone, firefighting teams can reduce human risk, speed up response times, and improve overall efficiency in managing fire incidents. As these technologies continue to evolve, the fire industry will see even greater benefits in safety and operational effectiveness.

Advanced Sensors

Emerging technology, such as intelligent sensors, is enabling organisations to make more informed and efficient decisions when it comes to fire safety. A great example is the use of fiber optic Linear heat Detection (LHD) systems, like our FireLaser solution, which are transforming fire suppression strategies.

In Italy, Autostrade per l’Italia has implemented Bandweaver’s FireLaser system in the Santa Lucia Tunnel, a structure over 10 km in length. With the FireLaser LHD controller, they can pinpoint the exact location of a fire within 1 meter. This precision allows the fire suppression system to concentrate its efforts on a specific zone, targeting an area less than 10 meters in size.

By focussing suppression efforts so accurately, Autostrade achieves early fire detection, minimises resource use, and significantly reduces both fire risks and water damage. As this technology becomes more widely adopted, the fire industry stands to benefit from greater safety, cost-efficiency, and enhanced protection for critical infrastructure.

Prepare for the future with Bandweaver

Our mission is to provide businesses with the vital technology needed to protect themselves from the catastrophic damage caused by fires. To achieve this, we are constantly working to provide the most innovative, effective systems as possible. Find out more about our fire detection and prevention technology here: https://www.bandweaver.com/sectors/fire_linear_heat_detection/#1470385882342-fb633a89-0ec6

Bandweaver installs Linear Heat Detection (LHD) solution for conveyor belts at cement production facility

by Sarah Phillips

The prominent cement plant is owned by a globally recognised leader in the building materials industry. It is vital to maintain high standards of fire safety and after a number of incidents over recent years, it was decided a more preventative approach was necessary. As a result of these incidents, the insurance assessment indicated that the conveyor belts were a particular hazard and were upgraded from low risk to high risk.

Read more

Yeniköy Kemerköy Conveyor Belt

by Sarah Phillips

The Scenario

Yeniköy is a 420 Megawatt MW coal-fired power station in Yeniköy, Muğla, Turkey and is owned by Limak- IC İçtaş. The site first became operational in 1986 with a current annual nominal production capacity of 2,730,000,000 KWh.

Yeniköy thermal plant and neighbouring and Kemerköy power station are classified as critical power infrastructure. Both, plants involve the transport and processing of a highly flammable product – domestic lignite. With more than 20km of belts to be monitored, advanced detection and visualisation was required to effectively protect the site.

Every year, 10 million tonnes of coal are transported through the on-site conveyor belt system, making it a critical component in the operation of the power station.

Client Requirements

The Yeniköy Kemerköy conveyor belt is a key part of the value chain to the client’s business. This plant must be able to operate over long periods of time with minimum disruption to production demands.

A solution was required to ensure the effective management of temperature events within this critical area, for detecting local overheating of equipment and providing early fire detection capability, within the client’s allocated budget.

The solution had to be cost effective in terms of cost of ownership, throughout the retrofit installation and including lifetime support costs.

The required solution needed to ensure that the client could possess and own the optimal solution in terms of reducing risk and minimizing ongoing maintenance costs.

What Did We Do?

The end user initially trialled thermal cameras on the site, however the performance was not satisfactory and did not adequately fulfil the requirements. BTS Yangın worked with the customer to design a fiber optic Linear Heat Detection (LHD) system based on Bandweaver’s FireLaser DTS system. After demonstrations from two fiber optic linear heat detection providers, the project was awarded to BTS Yangın, utilising Bandweaver’s FireLaser distributed temperature sensing solution.

A single 4 channel / 10km FireLaser unit was installed, offering the end user up to 40km of monitoring capability. For this particular application, 714 zones were configured, measuring 30m in length per zone over a total of 21.4km.

The FireLaser’s smart alarms were configured to detect maximum temperatures of 57-61.5°C, as well as a rate of rise of rise 5°-7°C. Using both variables, the system ensured that operators would be alerted should the system overheat in a range of conditions.

To provide a complete overview of the site’s operation, FireLaser was integrated with Panasonic CCTV via FireLaser’s built-in relay outputs. Bandweaver’s MaxView software platform was also used for advanced visualisation of the site and the fiber optic sensing system.

Detection of hot roller

For conveyor belts one of the key maintenance issues is the issue of roller failure and subsequent heating. When the bearing in a roller fails, typically resulting in high levels of friction which will cause the bearing to become very hot and lead to fires. As well as fire detection, the FireLaser linear heat detection system was also able to detect heating in rollers along the conveyor, prior to an ignition event.

In the event of an alarm, technical staff on site can be alerted by the operator in the control room to check the sensing cable with a thermal camera within the zone that is in a state of alarm. The heated cylinder can thus be detected within any 30-metre zone in a very short time. By using the professional thermal camera, the temperature can be understood almost precisely, and appropriate action taken.

Before the FireLaser DTS system was installed, there were even rollers that had become embers. However, with this early detection system, mechanical problems can be detected quickly after the early alarm detection, and heating effects minimised. Once the conveyor is stopped, the roller can be replaced and the conveyor normal operating mode in a short time.

Benefits To the Client

The Bandweaver system complied with the operator’s high specification requirements. Some of the key following benefits and advantages to the end user include:

  • Early detection of even a small fire: Bandweaver LHD systems are approved to operate with a measurement time of 5 seconds which is considerably quicker than the alternatives. With the smart alarms (including rate of rise and deviation alarms), the system can detect fires at a very early level without risk of false alarms.
  • Complete Coverage: The distributed nature of the fiber optic system provides measurements every 1m along the length of the cable providing complete and continuous coverage with no blind spots or gaps in the protection.
  • Low Cost of Ownership: Fiber optic cables are completely passive and have no moving parts, they are non-corrosive and immune to electromagnetic interference and typically have lifetimes of more than 30 years and so carry a very low cost of ownership and no maintenance.