The use of gaseous fire signatures as a mean to detect fires

A system consisting of gas analyzers, Taguchi sensors and thermocouples has been used to determine traits of fire. These traits have been used in order to determine whether a system of gas sensors and thermocouples is capable of detecting and discriminating between different types of fires. The work presented in this paper shows that a system of gas sensors, etc., is capable of detecting fires faster than a system of two ordinary smoke detectors, without an increased rate of unwanted alarms. The gas-sensor system is also capable of discriminating between flaming fires, smoldering fires and nuisance sources such as hairspray. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.