Detection Selection Keeps Up with Airport Changes

Airports are not what they used to be.Airport design has changedsignificantly over time with ultramodern buildings and amenities,such as business lounges, restaurants and retail outlets. Airportsare now more akin to shopping malls often featuring very largeopen areas and atriums.

These changes affect the dynamics involvedin designing the fire and life safety component of the airport. Understandingdetector technology is key to selecting automatic fire alarm systemsfor airports.

"A system that does not sense smoke or fire properlymay cause public injury or death. Conversely, a system that sendsfalse alarms may cause injury or death due to panic evacuation ordisrupt air traffic affecting other portions of the nation or compromiseairport security measures," states Steve Holtkamp, engineered systemsspecialist of Tech Electronics, a communications systems companyin St. Louis."The system must be designed using proven detectionmethods, be installed correctly, and ensure prompt notification tothe authorities to protect the public and minimize disruption ofservices."

There is no single solution for the entire airport. Designingfire alarm systems for atriums and other areas where the airporthas high ceilings can be tricky.This is especially true whenconsidering potential challenges, such as extreme temperatures, highair velocity and potential smoke stratification during a fire.

Similarshortcomings also exist behind the scenes in areas such as baggagehandling, hangars, technical warehouses, and electronic data processingcenters. Smoke is difficult to detect in these environments becausethey feature large voids or because the smoke is diluted quicklyor removed by air conditioning systems.

For example, when Lambert-St.Louis International Airport added the East Terminal, it was in themidst of a major upgrade to its fire detection/alarm systems throughoutthe airport.According to Leroy Ginther, project manager for TechElectronics, the company that handled the upgrade, the detectionsystem would need intelligent systems with PC graphical workstationsto visually identify the source of the fire.

"The main catalyst inall of the upgrades was increased control," says Ginther."With theairport expansion in the offing, there would be more territory toprotect and a need to respond to emergencies more quickly and effectively."

Itis important, therefore, to gain an understanding of the technologyand limitations of specific smoke detectors when selecting andapplying them to airport fire alarm systems. [more]