FireVu Flame Detection Algorithm
The FireVu solution was first developed in response to a requirement for next-generation fire detection in a voluminous power generation facility. Since then, FireVu has been refined and perfected to deliver the ultimate protection to all market sectors.
The current generation of FireVu detectors employ our latest technology advances and include our patented flame detection technology (UK: GB2535409, Europe: EP3080788, and US: US9530074B2).
The FireVu 500 uses intelligent flame and smoke algorithms to analyse the camera image in order to quickly and reliably detect fire.
The latest update has increased both the robustness of the algorithm and the detection range. The detector will react to the presence of even a small fire* in the specified field of view in under 30 seconds. These times apply to the most challenging of environments and in the majority of cases detection is even faster. The FireVu 500 has three pre-defined detection footprints, the largest of which has a range of up to 100m for flame-only detection. There are other offerings with ranges of 50m and 25m which have a wider field of view.
*TF5 pan fire – an industry standard accepted test fire, consisting of 500ml of N Heptane solution contained in a 330mm x 330mm x 50mm deep square pan
FireVu Demonstration Footage
BRE Independant Fire Detection and Suppression Research Test Facility
Testing was conducted at the BRE Watford independent test facility looking down a 100 metre concrete slab allowing numerous tests to be conducted at various distances from the detector.
Tests were performed using the mid-range 35m detector viewing a TF5 N Heptane test fire. After a full day of tests no false alarms were received as a result of sun-light, people movement or any other activity.
FireVu500 30 Metre N Heptane Test
For the first tests, the FireVu detector was placed 30 metres from the N Heptane test fire. The video demonstrates an alarm response was received in less than 20 seconds in an outdoor environment.
FireVu500 95 Metre N Heptane Test
For this test it was decided to position the fire at the maximum distance available on the concrete slab and observe if a response could be achieved. This placed the detector over 95 metres away – nearly 3 times further than the recommended detection range for this field of view. As can be seen in the video not only did the FireVu detector respond to the presence of the flame from 4 seconds, (visible by the presence of the Cyan boxes), but a FULL alarm response was achieved after approximately 60 seconds.
In-House Testing
Tests were performed using the mid-range 35m detector viewing a TF5 N Heptane test fire, conducted on-site by NetVu looking across open ground from an externally mounted FireVudetector.
The test fire was Placed 20m from the detector and the footage shows that it took less than 5 seconds from ignition of the fuel to a full alarm state.
This shows a clear and definitive detection of the true flame whilst ignoring other stimuli such as the high-visibility protective clothing worn by the operative lighting the fire and any direct sun light or reflections.
This detector has been deployed as shown for several months and during that period not a single false alarm has been generated despite the regular presence of personnel, farming equipment, sun light and all types of weather and yet all fire tests have resulted in a quick and definitive detection.
This test was performed using the mid-range 35metre detection FireVu 500 viewing a TF5 N Heptane test fire.
The test was conducted in-house by NetVu looking across an operational farming field from a permanently external mounted FireVu 500 detector. Placed 20 metres from the detector it can be seen that from ignition of the N Heptane to a full alarm state took less than 5 seconds, showing a clear and definitive detection of the true flame whilst ignoring other stimuli such as the high-visibility protective clothing worn by the operative lighting the fire and any direct sun light or reflections.
This detector has been deployed as shown for several months and during that period not a single false alarm has been generated despite the regular presence of personnel, farming equipment, sun light and all types of weather and yet all fire tests have resulted in a quick and definitive detection.
Tried and Tested
The videos viewable here are just a sample of the tests which have been conducted with the FireVu 500. They were all recorded by the camera itself and so represent the real footage that would be seen by an operator or end user.
Visually the FireVu 500 viewing software provides two levels of flame detection, the first being a Cyan box which is rendered around pixels that the FireVu 500′s intelligent algorithm has selected as a potential flame presence. A full alarm state is triggered when all the required criteria to be certain a flame is present are met and results in the second level of detection and a magenta coloured box.
FireVu is a complete solution which can be used in a wide array of challenging environments for a variety of applications, unlike some other detection methods:
FireVu solves this situational awareness issue through full visual verification, courtesy of the real-time video stream:
