Beam detection has become commonplace within large open areas, such as atriums, warehouses, etc. Beam Detectors are cost effective when compared with using point detection and suitable for heights way above the operating limits of conventional smoke detection.
A device which senses smoke by projecting a light beam from a transceiver unit across the protected area to a reflector that returns the light signal back to the transceiver unit. Smoke entering the beam path will decrease the light signal causing an alarm.
Beam Detection is perfect for applications in environments like atriums, freezers, aircraft hangars, cold storage warehouses, shipping warehouses, enclosed parking facilities, sporting arenas, stadiums, concert halls, barns, and tunnels.
High air movement areas present a special problem for spot-type detectors, because the propagation of smoke developing under normal conditions may not occur. Since high air velocity may blow smoke out of the sensing chamber, careful consideration should be given to the spot-type detector’s performance where air velocities exceed 1,500 feet per minute.
