The challenges we face in protecting our businesses from fire are becoming increasingly more difficult to combat. In particular, areas with high ceilings, high air flow or outdoor zones introduce a number of factors that make conventional smoke detection systems unable to provide a suitable solution.
It is in these areas that Video Smoke Detection thrives, providing early and reliable smoke detection for a wide range of applications.
What is Video Smoke Detection?
Video smoke detection typically consists of video based analytical algorithms that integrate cameras into fire detection systems. Images from these cameras are continually analysed by software to determine whether smoke from a fire can be recognised. This is done by considering factors such as changes in brightness, contrast, shape, edge content, motion, and colour matching. The ability to do this provides an incredible advantage in providing early detection of fire.
What are the Advantages of Video Smoke Detection?
There are many advantages to video smoke detection. These include, but are not limited to:
- Visual Identification of Fire – reducing the risk of false alarm.
- Earlier warning of fire when combined with existing solutions.
- The ability to accurately pin-point the location of a fire.
- Video smoke detection provides the ability to monitor large volume areas.
- Active smoke detection as opposed to point detectors that rely on smoke passively reaching their detection element.
- Video smoke detection can be employed outdoors as well as inside.
- Images and video can be stored upon alarm, providing the opportunity to investigate the cause of fire and therefore prevent future incidents.
- Remote monitoring assists in the detection of fire, also allowing for alarms to be visually verified, thus reducing the risk of false alarm.
What are the Typical Applications of Video Smoke Detection?
With its array of benefits video smoke detection can be employed in a myriad of different applications. Its ability to provide suitable detection for buildings with high ceilings, outside areas and areas with high airflow make it an efficient detection system for spaces and buildings such as:
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Which Video Smoke Detection Systems are Available?
There’s an array of VSD systems available today that are capable of providing suitable detection for the applications mentioned in this article. One system in particular is VideoFyre, from Eurofyre. VideoFyre is a next generation system that can be combined with new or existing analogue surveillance cameras to provide state of the art smoke detection.
At the centre of a VideoFyre System is a compact single channel video encoder. Each encoder analyses the content of a single camera input using advanced algorithms to reliably detect the presence of smoke or flame within the cameras field of view.
What are the Advantages of Using VideoFyre?
There are may advantages attributed to VideoFyre. Specifically, unlike earlier video detection systems, VideoFyre does not require connection to a large central processing unit. Instead each analogue camera has its own self contained, dedicated encoder allowing single or multiple cameras to be monitored either individually or collectivity using multi-input DVRs.
VideoFyre can also be configured using its unique, user friendly interface through any standard internet browser via the units IP address allowing simple set up of detection areas, zones, sensitivities, alarm outputs and video encoding options. Vidoefyre also provides volt-free alarm and fault outputs to allow for integration straight into local fire alarm monitoring systems.
For more information on video smoke detection or to discuss any of the other products that Eurofyre have to offer please feel free to get in touch either by phone on +44 (0) 1329 835 024, by email to sales@eurofyre.co.uk or via the online enquiry form situated on our contact page.
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