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SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering pp 1314–1377Cite as

Design of Detection Systems

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Abstract

Fire detection and alarm systems are recognized as key features of a building’s fire prevention and protection strategy. This chapter presents a systematic technique to be used by fire protection engineers in the design and analysis of detection and alarm systems. The majority of discussion is directed toward systems used in buildings. However, many of the techniques and procedures also apply to systems used to protect planes, ships, outside storage yards, and other nonbuilding environments.

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  • V. Babrauskas, J.R. Lawson, W.D. Walton, and W.H. Twilley, NBSIR 82-2604, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC (1982).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Schifiliti Associates, Inc., Fire Protection Engineers, 297, MA, 01867, Reading, USA

    Robert P. Schifiliti

  2. Associates, Inc. Fire Protection Engineers, 297, Reading, MA, 01867, USA

    Richard L. P. Custer

  3. Fire Protection Engineering and Architectural Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 50 Prescott Street, MA, 01609, Worcester, USA

    Brian J. Meacham

Authors
  1. Robert P. Schifiliti
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  2. Richard L. P. Custer
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  3. Brian J. Meacham
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aon Fire Protection Engineering, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Morgan J. Hurley P.E., FSFPE (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

  2. Hughes Associates, Baltimore, USA

    Daniel Gottuk Ph.D., P.E.

  3. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, USA

    John R. Hall Jr. Ph.D.

  4. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Kazunori Harada Dr. Eng.

  5. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA

    Erica Kuligowski Ph.D.

  6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

    Milosh Puchovsky P.E., FSFPE

  7. The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia

    José Torero Ph.D.

  8. The Fire Safety Institute, Quincy, USA

    John M. Watts Jr. Ph.D., FSFPE

  9. FM Global, Johnston, USA

    Christopher Wieczorek Ph.D.

Nomenclature

α

Fire intensity coefficient (Btu/s3 or kW/s2)

A

Area (m2 or ft2)

A

g/(C p T a ρ0) [m4/(s2⋅kJ) or ft4/(s2⋅Btu)]

c

Specific heat of detector element [Btu/(lbm⋅R) or kJ/(kg⋅K)]

C p

Specific heat of air [Btu/(lbm⋅R) or kJ/(kg⋅K)]

d

Diameter of sphere or cylinder (m or ft)

D

Nondimensional change in gas temperature

Δt

Change in time (s)

ΔT

Increase above ambient in temperature of gas surrounding a detector (°C or °F)

ΔT d

Increase above ambient in temperature of adetector (°C or °F)

ΔT * p

Change in reduced gas temperature

f

Functional relationship

g

Functional relationship

g

Gravitational constant (m/s2 or ft/s2)

h c

Convective heat transfer coefficient [kW/(m2⋅°C) or Btu/(ft2⋅s⋅°F)]

H

Ceiling height or height above fire (m or ft)

ΔH c

Heat of combustion (kJ/mol)

H f

Heat of formation (kJ/mol)

L p

Sound pressure level

L W

Sound power level

m

Mass (lbm or kg)

p

Positive exponent

\( \dot{q} \)

Heat release rate (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{q}}}_{\mathbf{cond}} \)

Heat transferred by conduction (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{q}}}_{\mathbf{conv}} \)

Heat transferred by convection (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{q}}}_{\mathbf{rad}} \)

Heat transferred by radiation (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{q}}}_{\mathbf{total}} \)

Total heat transfer (Btu/s or kW)

\( \dot{\boldsymbol{Q}} \)

Heat release rate (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{Q}}}_{\boldsymbol{cr}} \)

Critical heat release rate

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{Q}}}_{\boldsymbol{do}} \)

Design heat release rate

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{Q}}}_{\boldsymbol{i}} \)

Ideal heat release rate

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{Q}}}_{\boldsymbol{p}} \)

Predicted heat release rate (Btu/s or kW)

\( {\dot{\boldsymbol{Q}}}_{\boldsymbol{T}} \)

Threshold heat release rate at response (Btu/s or kW)

r

Radial distance from fire plume axis (m or ft)

ρ0

Density of ambient air (kg/m3 or lb/ft3)

Re

Reynolds number

RTI

Response time index (m1/2⋅s1/2 or ft1/2⋅s1/2)

S

Spacing of detectors or sprinkler heads (m or ft)

t

Time (s)

t c

Critical time—time at which fire would reach a heat release rate of 1000 Btu/s (1055 kW) (s)

t r

Response time (s)

t v

Virtual time of origin (s)

t 2f

Arrival time of heat front (for p = 2 power-law fire) at a point r/H (s)

t *2f

Reduced arrival time of heat front (for p = 2 power-law fire) at a point r/H (s)

t * p

Reduced time

T

Temperature (°C or °F)

T a

Ambient temperature (°C or °F)

T d

Detector temperature (°C or °F)

T g

Temperature of fire gases (°C or °F)

T s

Rated operating temperature of a detector or sprinkler (°C or °F)

U

Velocity (m/s)

u

Instantaneous velocity of fire gases (m/s or ft/s)

u 0

Velocity at which τ0 was measured (m/s or ft/s)

u * p

Reduced gas velocity

v

Kinematic viscosity (m2/s or ft2/s)

x

Vectorial observation point (m or ft)

Y

Defined in Equation 40.26

τ

Detector time constant—mc/(hA) (s)

τ0

Measured at reference velocity u0 (s)

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Schifiliti, R.P., Custer, R.L.P., Meacham, B.J. (2016). Design of Detection Systems. In: Hurley, M.J., et al. SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2565-0_40

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