We all are quite well aware of sensors. In layman's terms, sensors are very sensitive to a particular object, which can be light or smell or even smoke. Due to this high sensitivity, they have several applications and are most precisely used in security systems. One of the most used sensors is a flame sensor which is highly sensitive to light or flames. This sensor can easily detect a flame from a light source within 750nm-1150nm. These High-quality flame sensors are used in fire detectors, flame alarms and many other security devices.
What Are Flame Sensors?
A flame sensor is highly sensitive to light and is particularly designed to detect and respond to the occurrence of flame or fire. It consists of an alarm system and responds through sounds when it detects fire nearby.
These are generally included in industrial boilers to detect whether they are working properly. It is also used in ignition systems. Due to its mechanism, it is far more effective than a smoke & fire detector.
Types Of Flame Sensors That Are Available In The Market
Generally, there are four types of sensors available in the market, which are as follows.
- Infrared Sensors
- Ultraviolet Sensors
- Visible Sensors
- IR3 Flame detector
- IR single Frequency
- IR multispectrum
Infrared Sensor
It is also known as a wideband spectrum flame detector as it can detect & analyse more than 1.1 um infrared spectral bands. It can easily sense the Predefined patterns given off by super Hot gasses. Thermal imaging cameras, known as thermography cameras, read these patterns. These days flame recognition technology is being rapidly used to sense and detect Infrared radiation. In this case, a charged coupled device is used along with the Infrared flame sensor to get the accuracy.
The biggest downside of this sensor is it can not be used in an outdoor event as the readings can be highly affected by the presence of water vapour. Water vapour absorbs the majority of the received IR radiation.
Ultraviolet Sensors
A boiler emits radiation during ignition, and ultraviolet sensors can easily detect that. This type of sensor is highly effective as it can sense & detect the occurrence of fire or explosion within 3-4 milliseconds. Due to their high sensitivity, they can detect radiation emitted from other UV sources like arc welding, lightning, and even sunlight. That is why it is essential to delay 2-3 seconds to reduce the chances of a false alarm from these other sources of UV radiation. The effectiveness of UV sensors increases with wavelengths that are shorter than 300 NM as it decreases the effects of background radiation. At the same time, the effectiveness decreases with oily contaminants.
Visible Sensors
These are generally used to detect flames over a longer distance. Humans can easily understand the readings of these sensors as it provides an output image of the reading patterns for humans to read and sense. The biggest downside of these sensors is smoke & fog, which decreases their efficiency to a great extent. They are generally combined with ultraviolet or Infrared Sensors to improve their effectiveness. The combined sensor can detect better and gives a better Detection output, thus minimising the chances of false alarm. The famous Corona camera is the finest example of visible sensor & ultraviolet sensors.
IR 3 Flame Detector
As the name suggests, the IR3 Flame detector can sense, detect & compare the radiation pattern of three different IR spectral bands. These sensors are designed to sense and detect three radiation bands belonging to three different micrometre ranges. One belongs to the 4.4-micrometre range, and another is above it while another is below this mentioned range. Due to this mechanism, the IR 3 flame sensor can separate the actual radiations from false radiations that might affect the result. As a result, these detectors have much better effectiveness than the previous three as they can provide better flame detection by ignoring the background radiation. Hence, the chances of false alarms decrease upto a great extent.
Apart from these major four sensors, several other sensors like IR multispectrum and IR single Frequency sensors are also available.
Salient Features Of Flame Sensors
- Flame Sensors are user friendly and can be easily operated.
- They have very high photosensitivity.
- The accuracy of measurement can be adjustable and depends on the type of the sensor.
- They have a very fast response time
- The Detection angle is generally 600
Specifications Of Flame Sensor
- The flame sensor is composed of an electromagnetic circuit to detect electromagnetic radiation.
- A flame sensor is operated within a voltage range of 3.3V to 5V
- The flame test can be activated if the flame intensity is lighter than 0.8 m
- The accuracy of the Detection depends on the intensity of the flame. The more the intensity, the better the detection.
Applications of Flame Sensor
Flame Sensors have a wide range of applications in various appliances, such as
- Fire detection
- Industrial heating devices
- Fire fighting robot
- Fire alarms
- Gas turbines
- Hydrogen stations
- Domestic heating system
- Research labs that use radiation
- Ignition system
- Mines
- Industrial furnace
- Cooking devices powered by gas
What Are The Advantages Of Flame Detector?
- A flame sensor can detect & respond to long-distance radiation
- It reduces the risk of ignition
- They respond promptly and frequently
- They are highly reliable under any condition
- Flame sensors are a very cost-effective option
Final Note
Flame sensors are one of the most vital elements to prevent Industrial hazards. Being highly photosensitive, these sensors can detect any unusual condition and prevent fire disasters that save both lives & time. The ALSOK India is a trusted name in providing quality security equipment. We take pride in providing highly reliable solutions to any industrial or domestic security concerns. The high-quality flame sensor of Alsok India is lightweight, compact and effective. It can be used in a varied number of working environments, thus making it adaptable to any situation. Furthermore, all these come within a very affordable range. Get in touch with us to know more about new age flame sensors.
