Early Detection of Fire and Fire Prevention Using LWIR Thermography
The primary goal of any fire monitoring measure is to reduce the consequential damage caused by fire and, especially, to protect human life and irrecoverable goods (works of art, company data, etc.). In addition to effective firefighting and preventive structural measures, time is a crucial factor, since the damage and potential danger caused by a fire increase rapidly the longer the fire lasts. Visualization of long wave infrared rays (LWIR thermography) enables continuous monitoring of the surface temperature. Since temperature is a main factor in the formation of a fire, LWIR thermography allows identifying critical conditions and alarms to be triggered long before the fire starts.
Fire detection: substantial damage
Conventional fire alarm systems are only designed to signaling already existing fires as early as possible, in order to limit property damage and bodily injury. As a rule, damage has already been caused by the time the fire is detected, since fire alarm systems can only measure the effects of a fire (heat, smoke, gases, fumes, pressure, etc.). Due to the necessary response time, further fire damage will occur until full-fledged firefighting starts and moreover, firefighting measures also increase the extent of damage. In addition, the resultant downtimes needed until the burned objects are restored will add to the economic loss.
Early detection of fire: minor damage
Early fire detection measures aim at triggering an alarm very early, during the initial phases of an incipient fire. The objective is to successfully contain the developing fire before open flames massively increase the damage and to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding area.
Early fire detection can help reduce damage and to a large extent, can prevent hazardous situations.
However, this approach can only detect already existing fires and is not able to eliminate the subsequent downtimes needed to repair the damage.
Fire prevention: no damage
The goal of fire prevention is to detect potential fires before the ignition stage, in order to prevent them from occurring at all. In contrast to (early) fire detection methods, fire prevention can almost completely eliminate any damage, danger and subsequent repairs – regardless of the stage of the fire. Fire prevention measures include corrective intervention in ongoing processes (load balancing measures for overheated areas or machinery, removal of hot spots from collector systems or conveyor belts, etc.) as well as prophylactic replacement of potential fire sources in order to minimize downtimes.
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