OPERATIONAL ALGORITHM FOR A HEAT DETECTOR USED IN MOTOR VEHICLES

Abstract

In most cases, fixed temperature heat detectors are used to detect fire in vehicles. The response parameter of such detectors is constant. The time of fire detection by a fire detector, as well as the probability of its false operation, are affected by heat flux from an internal combustion engine. This paper reports the development and investigation of an operational algorithm of the fixed-dynamic heat detectors with variable response parameters. Depending on the temperature influence exerted by engine operation modes, a given algorithm automatically changes a value of the minimal static response temperature of a detector, as well as value of the rate of rise in the temperature of its response. The experimental results showed that in the initial period of engine operation, the temperature change rate in the engine compartment fluctuates and is the largest. It can exceed 290 °С/min. However, regardless of the type of vehicle and the type of engine, when the temperature reaches technological, the temperature change rate would vary within small limits, approximately 30÷50°С/min. The study results from the Simulink software package (USA) in the MATLAB programming environment (USA) confirm the effectiveness of the programmed operational algorithm of a thermal fire detector. The developed algorithm of a fire detector's operation makes it possible to detect the fire at an early stage and reduce the cases of the device's false response. The fire detector responded to both the maximal and dynamic components. As regards the maximal component, the proposed detector is triggered about 2.3 times faster than the classic maximal thermal fire detector. Detection of fire at an early stage makes it possible to quickly use the fire extinguishing system.