Smoke, fire & videotape

Although VSD technology is still very young it has been quickly refined into a very useful and practical tool with there some very significant successful installations in the Middle East and globally.

Little surprise then that the market for VSD products is one of the fastest growing in the sector (one recent report says that it will have gone from a standing start to a value of around US$36m by the end this year).

Jon East, engineering consultant for leading manufacturer D-Tec (part of the AD-Group), explains the technology’s advantages: ´There are certain applications that video smoke detection are ideal for, particularly sites with large volumes – such as warehouses, aircraft hangars & power stations – where the environment makes it difficult for traditional pointdetection technology to function,´ he told Security Middle East.

While he cautions that the new video detection technology is not likely take over from point-detection in most applications (not least because of cost) he points out that it has opened up a lot of new possibilities. Areas in which it was previously difficult to ensure an early warning of spreading smoke and fire can now be effectively protected – and one particularly pleasing aspect of the new techniques is that they can work on existing CCTV cameras and transmission infrastructure.

So in a warehouse, or a road tunnel, cameras that are already needed for security, for safety or operational purposes, can be given even more functionality with the addition of smoke detection analytics. The analytics themselves typically work on changeable parameters that look at the different signatures of smoke, analysing factors such as smoke density, edge movement and contrast. Because different types of fire give off smoke with different characteristics, a lot of research has been done to refine the way the smoke detection works, explains East.

It typically uses standard CCTV cameras (black and white or colour) and links them to a self contained processing system which has the ability to recognise smoke and flame patterns in captured images. VSD uses software algorithms that aim to automatically identify the specific motion pattern of smoke and fire while ignoring other on-screen movement patterns.

When a system is set up at a particular site it can be adjusted to anticipate the most likely fire types that may occur there – and what it will look like in the prevailing conditions – in effect to watch most closely for the highest risks, and thus to improve the chances of early detection.

VSD is used in applications where traditional smoke detection technologies may be impractical or inefficient, such as large open areas, very high ceilings, or high air flows. These are all factors that can stop smoke from getting to spot-type smoke detectors, and thus delay alarm activation. Current applications range from industrial processing plants to mass transit facilities and shopping malls, plus areas that are inaccessible to traditional detectors. At the extreme end of the scale, VSD is used in Canada to help detect forest fires – filtering out harmless image movements such as rain, snow, clouds, birds, cars and light changes and so delivering effective fire detection over vast areas in a way that would previously have been impossible.

VSD can operate in all of the aforementioned situations, detecting smoke and/or fire, even through glass. As a prime example, D-Tec’s latest FireVu system has brought together video smoke and flame detection which means that it can offer customers a layered response, alarming on smoke first and then confirming again if fire appears.

This development also opens up the potential for systems to operate in dark areas at night where lighting is not available and flame rather than smoke will be the most visible sign of an incident.

One of the foremost practitioners in the Middle East region is BSSME, a specialist consultancy that has completed a number of major projects (as reported in this magazine – including the Palm Island Road Tunnel; the Royal Hanger Seeb International Airport, Oman; and the Royal Airwing Hangar at Dubai International Airport. Recent orders include include 14 hangars in Jeddah and Riyadh airports in Saudi Arabia and the Yas Island road tunnel Abu Dhabi.

Director Malcolm Gatenby says that using the D-Tec solution allows any good CCTV system to be upgraded. However he warns that the ability of the analytics to be effective depends on a number of factors, including the ability of the CCTV system to capture quality images around the clock, and the positioning of cameras for this purpose.

´It should be remembered that fire detection is a critical application which is governed by different rules to security. So it shouldn´t be assumed that because you know how to install a security system that you are qualified to do the same job with video smoke detection.´

He reflects that video smoke detection sits at the cross-over point between two disciplines – fire and security – and says it is important that those who design and install solutions understand both.

It is a new field and care should be taken by those moving into it, not least because of the potentially disastrous consequences of failure. Of course, fire may be regarded as the more critical discipline by those working on that side of things, but installing a good quality CCTV system that delivers clear images in all conditions is no simple matter.

Effective video smoke detection requires both areas of expertise, Director Malcolm Gatenby says that using the D-Tec solution allows any good CCTV system to be upgraded. However he warns that the ability of the analytics to be effective depends on a number of factors, including the ability of the CCTV system to capture quality images around the clock, and the positioning of cameras for this purpose.

´It should be remembered that fire detection is a critical application which is governed by different rules to security. So it shouldn´t be assumed that because you know how to install a security system that you are qualified to do the same job with video smoke detection.´ He reflects that video smoke detection sits at the cross-over point between two disciplines – fire and security – and says it is important that those who design and install solutions understand both.

It is a new field and care should be taken by those moving into it, not least because of the potentially disastrous consequences of failure. Of course, fire may be regarded as the more critical discipline by those working on that side of things, but installing a good quality CCTV system that delivers clear images in all conditions is no simple matter.

Effective video smoke detection requires both areas of expertise, and there is a wealth of experience on both sides, which should help the new discipline grow. ´I work with security companies who are CCTV specialists, particularly the larger players, advising them on points such as where the cameras need to be placed to give the required fire protection. Working at this top end of the market my experience is pretty positive – the systems are very good now and the cameras are never more than a few metres out. These are all questions that we prefer to sort out at the design stage.´

It may be that as awareness of VSD increases, it will play a greater role in helping to give early warning of fires in other applications beyond those where it has already taken root. There is a recognised need in the region to install multiple levels of fire protection for a wide range of properties where people work and live (what about buildings under construction, for example, where cameras could be installed and working from day one?) There´s no technical reason why VSD shouldn´t be adopted as one of those levels of protection, particularly in areas where CCTV infrastructure is already present – the big inhibiting factor, of course, is the cost of the analytics.

As with any new technology, the price tag on VSD systems is still pretty high in comparison to conventional smoke detection. While this higher investment is easily absorbed on a major project it is undeniably an obstacle to wider adoption – so far. But of course history tells us that this will change as the predicted market growth occurs. The technology will become more affordable, it will find its way into more applications, and its benefits will be more widely felt.

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