Aspirating Smoke Detection System Installation for Warehouse

With the development of modern logistics, the warehouse is getting bigger and bigger, and its ceilings are getting higher and higher. The warehouse using the automatic storage systems usually has a ceiling over 30m. This kind of large space increases the possibility of catching fire and makes fire detection harder.

Difficulties of Warehouse Fire Protection

Warehouse often has high ceilings and large space, which makes the fire detection in it harder than in other places. For example, in an office, a smoke detector installed on a ceiling that is 3-4m high may detect the smoke from a fire caused by cigarettes, and give an alarm in time. But if a fire caused by cigarettes happens in a warehouse whose ceiling height is 12m, the smoke detector installed on the ceiling may not be able to detect it quickly for the smoke is spread out in a large space. Only when the fire scatters and grows can the smoke detector detect the smoke and give an alarm. By the time people hear the alarm and rush to the place, the fire might be too fierce to be put down by one person. Moreover, the warehouse is usually a closed structure with fewer doors and windows. Once there is a fire, it is hard to put out the fire from the outside, even for the firefighters.

Aspirating Smoke Detection System for Warehouse

Installing aspirating smoke detection system in the warehouse can solve the above problems. First, the aspirating smoke detection system usually has very high sensitivity. Although the smoke from the fire is spread in a large space, the aspirating smoke detection system can still detect the change of smoke concentration and give an alarm early. Second, the sampling pipes of the aspirating smoke detection system can be installed flexibly according to the possible position of smoke, like in the storage rack, the air conditioning air inlet, the air duct, and the cabinet of the electrical equipment. The aspirating smoke detection system can detect whether the air inside the protected area is changing, therefore discovering the dangerous situation early.

ASENWARE provides different aspirating smoke detection systems and specific solutions for different warehouses, suitable for different heights.

Notes When Installing Aspirating Smoke Detection System in Warehouse

Installing in Storage Rack

The storage racks inside the warehouse might block the flow of smoke, affecting the detectors’ detection. By installing the aspirating smoke detection system on the ceiling above the storage racks and in the middle of the storage racks, the smoke can be detected everywhere. The sampling pipes installed in the middle of the storage racks will not affect the in and out of the goods.

The sample ports should be on the ceiling above the storage racks and in the middle of the storage racks. Whether it is a closed storage rack or an open storage rack, the sample ports should be on both sides of the adjacent pallets in the middle layer, and the sample ports should be in different layers of the storage racks.

Aspirating smoke detection system installation diagram

Aspirating smoke detection system Warehouse installation example

Fire smoke Stratification and Heat Barrier

When there is a fire, the smoke will flow up due to the thermal buoyancy caused by high temperatures. In its way of flowing up, the smoke will reach the rather cold air and cool down. When its temperature is close to the temperature of the air, and it still hasn’t got to the ceiling yet, the smoke will spread out and form a stratification. This stratification can block the smoke detector mounted on the ceiling from detecting the smoke. Besides, the air conditioning system might cause a combination of the smoke and the vapor and therefore stop the smoke from flowing up.
fire smoke Stratification and Heat Barrier

The heat barrier is formed because of the thermal equilibrium. At a certain height in the warehouse, the air temperature is rather high, and when the smoke flows up to this place, the heat will be equivalent and form a thermal equilibrium. Under this state, the smoke will stop flowing up and starts to spread horizontally. The heat barrier may be caused by the sunlight or heat from heaters and lamps.

Air Conditioning Inlet and Outlet

In an early fire, the smoke still won’t be able to flow up to the ceiling, but it will easily be affected by the airflow from the air conditioning system. The air conditioning system will often take the smoke to its inlet and outlet. Installing the sampling pipes in the inlet and outlet can help the smoke detection system detects the smoke better.