Ecreative logo
   

Flame Detectors

Time to Read: 1m 34s

Flame detectors are devices that use any of a number of methods to detect the presence of flames. There are several types of flame detector, including optical, ionization, and thermocouple flame detectors.

Optical Flame Detectors

An optical flame detector operates on one of several wavelengths:
  •  Ultraviolet (UV) flame detectors work with wavelengths shorter than 300 nm and can detect fires and/or explosions within 3-4 milliseconds thanks to UV radiation caused by ignition.
  • Near infrared array (near IR array) flame detectors analyze near infrared radiation via the pixel array of a charge-coupled device to detect flames.
  • Infrared (IR) flame detectors work within the infrared spectral band and use thermal imaging cameras to detect the hot gases caused by flames.
  • UV/IR flame detectors combine signals from the two detection ranges to minimize false alarms for more accurate flame detection.
  • Visible sensors detect the visible radiation produced by flame.

Ionization Flame Detectors

Most commonly used in large industrial gas process heaters, ionization flame detectors measure current within the intense ionization within the body of a flame by applying a necessary amount of electrical voltage