Fire Detection For Noncoal Underground Mines - Objective

Provide reliable, early-warning fire detection instruments, telemetry, and control systems for noncoal underground mines. Approach Industrial-grade fire detection instruments and signal telemetry equipment were modified for long-term exposure to harsh underground mine conditions, then were installed in four mines to evaluate long-term performance and reliability. How It Works The elapsed time between the onset of a fire and its detection is critical because fires tend to grow in size and intensity with time. Early fire detection and warning permit the initiation of a mine's emergency plan (evacuation, fire fighting, etc.) while the fire is still small, or ideally, while it is still in the incipient stage. Fire detection and warning systems, utilizing sensitive heat, flame, smoke, and gas analyzers, provide the most rapid and reliable indication of a developing fire.