FireNet Community
FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: SeaBass on August 27, 2010, 11:15:05 AM
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I’ve been asked to approve a fire alarm system design for a small community centre. All looks fine, but the documentation states that neural detectors will be installed in all areas. I know what neural means, but I’ve not heard of neural detectors before. I’ve spoken to friends and colleagues in the game and they’ve not heard of them either. Is it a trade name or some technical advance that I’m unaware of, or just a bit of sales BS?
Any pointers would be much appreciated before I go back to the installers.
Many thanks R.
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Hi Ruby
This is a bit of a crude description... ( some of the more learned members on the forum may frown upon on this....)
In simple terms neural fire detectors are "intelligent" sensors which can scutinise and differentiate between different types of smoke or products of combustion, against other phenomena such as cigarette smoke, spray from aersols, steam from a shower rooms etc, which would otherwise cause false alarms.
Below is an excerpt from Seimens website which helps explain further :-
Neural networks
The neural network in the Siemens detector allows the fire detector to be trained to recognise the normal pattern of temperature, smoke colour and particle size found in the room in which it is located, as opposed to having these parameters pre-set in the factory. This means that a detector placed in a workshop would ignore dust and machinery exhaust, but if it was placed in a bathroom it would ignore steam, but in both locations it would react to an above normal rise in temperature coupled with dark smoke.
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That's a good enough explanation for me Midland. Many thanks.
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Sounds like a designer may be running free with someone elses chequebook to me. Is this degree of sophistication justified in a small community centre?