How The Burglar Alarm And Fire Alarm are Making The Most Of New Technology

Article Written By: Kathryn Dawson

Protecting a home or a business cannot be done without the aid of technology. Whether it is a fire alarm or a burglar alarm, the latest technological developments are being used to provide better quality protection. Sensors that were once cutting edge, now seem crude in comparison to the sophisticated advancements made in recent years, with detectors themselves now better able to distinguish between real and false threats.

There are four general forms of smoke detectors, with different technologies used to detect smoke. They operate through ionisation, optical sensors, air sampling and the detection of carbon monoxide. Detectors available as part of the Firex smoke alarm range, as well as those included in the range of Aico smoke alarms, are perfect examples of the creative and effective use of these technologies.

Smoke detectors that operate through ionisation are amongst the most affordable. This system uses radioactive material that emits minute amounts of radiation into an ionisation chamber, which creates a constant electrical current between electrodes. Should any smoke drift within the ionisation chamber, the current will be disrupted and the alarm will go off. Because of the sensitivity of the current, tiny smoke particles can affect it, meaning before anyone can see any smoke at all the alarm will go off.

Incidentally, any fears over the use of radioactive material are allayed by the fact that alpha radiation is easily stopped by the plastic casing of the detector itself. The chief issue with this type is its long history of false alarms, a result of their high sensitivity to minute particles.

Optical detectors are basically light sensors that make use of the laws of physics to react to smoke. The detector itself uses a beam of light, usually created by an infrared LED, passing parallel to the detector. When smoke fills a room, it obscures the beam and scatters some of the light particles into the path of the sensor itself. The broken beam then sets off the alarm. This form of detector ignores any temperature increases, and only reacts to visible smoke, which makes it effective when the fire is almost established and already smouldering.

Amongst the most highly regarded examples of this technology is seen in the Aico Ei160 range of smoke alarms, which makes use of both ionisation and optical technology. They are interconnectable with other Ei mains powered alarms, have hush buttons to counter false alarms and include a self test facility that monitors the sensors every 40 seconds.

Detectors that sample air actually draw air into the device, where a laser detects microscopic particles caused during the process of combustion. They are extremely sensitive and provide highly effective early warning alarms, but are large in structure and are generally used to protect company archives and art galleries. The final type, meanwhile, detects high levels of toxic carbon monoxide gas in the air. However, these are not always effective as some sensors are not able to detect the gasses unless there is a fire burning close by.

A heat detector works differently, as it senses and reacts to an increase in temperature through convection in an element within the device. These detectors can either react to a rapid increase in temperature, of perhaps 12 or 15 degrees within a minute, or react once a certain temperature is reached. The most highly developed can react to temperatures that are still relatively low, providing early warning.

Some of the most sophisticated examples of heat detectors can be found in the Firex smoke alarm range. These react to a temperature of 57C but use the latest thermistor technology, whereby resistors within the device change according to the temperature around it, thus setting off the alarm. Of course, these detectors do not react to smoke, making them ideal for use in kitchens, both in homes and in restaurants or canteens.

Such technology is not lost to burglar alarm systems either. They use photoelectric beams similar those used in smoke detectors to react to movement in a room. However, microwave technology, which can detect movement even behind solid structures such as a wall, and ultrasonic technology, which senses the disruption of sound waves by moving objects, are now being used in intruder alarms.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes about distributors and online electrical suppliers of burglar alarm and aico smoke alarms.

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