FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS - DISCOVERY ULTIMATE FIRE DETECTION

Even in the unlikely event of control equipment processor failure, Discovery is still able to perform. Discovery also puts four bytes of non-volatile memory at the disposal of the user. All this is possible because Discovery incorporates signal processing in the detector head.

• Protection against unwanted alarms
• Selectable sensitivity
• Drift compensation
• Distributed intelligence
• Fail-safe conventional alarm mode
• Digital protocol
• Open protocol

Using well-established sensing technologies, the Discovery range includes ionisation and optical smoke monitors, plus a temperature monitor. Additionally, a multi-sensor monitor combining optical smoke and temperature sensing has been developed. A manual call point incorporating Discovery technology is also available.

SENSITIVITY SELECTION

Discovery offers five sensitivity bands. Monitors are factory-set to a mid-range sensitivity which can be altered as appropriate. For example, a monitor in a clean room might be set to a higher sensitivity than one in an office. Or different sensitivities might be selected for day and night use. This system enhances detection reliability whilst mitigating against false alarms. The multi-sensor monitor may be operated as a smoke monitor, a heat monitor or a combination of both.

DRIFT COMPENSATION

Discovery incorporates an algorithm to ensure that the analogue count reported to the panel is not affected by extraneous factors such as contamination which could lead to drift. If the count moves from its normal clean-air value it is, within permitted limits, compensated back to reduce unwanted alarms.

NON-VOLATILE MEMORY

Discovery has a non-volatile memory that may be accessed by the control panel. This records unchanging information, such as the month of manufacture and information under control of the panel such as the sensitivity setting. Self changing data, such as the degree of drift compensation, is also held in the memory, but a significant amount of memory is reserved for customers to use freely. This part - four bytes of data - may be used to record any data required, eg, commissioning date, last service date, site reference number, project number or whatever is important to the customer. This area of the memory is accessed very easily by defined polling routines known as “read” and “write” modes.

FAIL-SAFE OPERATION

If a microprocessor in the control panel were ever to fail, Discovery would not be lost altogether. In the event of a fire, an alarm signal similar to a conventional alarm would still be transmitted

COMPATIBILITY

To access the benefits described above, control equipment utilising the Discovery protocol must be used. Discovery is backward compatible with all XP95 panels, provided that they do not already have drift compensation algorithms.

The mounting bases are identical to those of XP95, featuring the patented XPERT card addressing system that has proved so simple, reliable and effective. Existing XP95 isolators and interfaces will be used with all Discovery fire monitors.

APPROVALS

The XP95 range has been approved by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and VclS.