Progress in the development of a S RETGEM-based detector for an early forest fire warning system

TL;DR

This paper introduces a highly sensitive, imaging-capable gaseous detector for early forest fire detection, demonstrating superior sensitivity and potential for reduced false alarms compared to existing ultraviolet flame detectors.

Contribution

It presents a novel S RETGEM-based detector with imaging capabilities, high sensitivity, and low production costs, advancing forest fire warning technology.

Findings

Detector is 100 times more sensitive than commercial UV flame detectors.

Able to detect 1.5x1.5x1.5 m3 flames at 1 km distance.

Prototype shows promising results for early fire detection and false alarm reduction.

Abstract

In this paper we present a prototype of a Strip Resistive Thick GEM photosensitive gaseous detector filled with Ne and ethylferrocene vapours at a total pressure of 1 atm for an early forest fire detection system. Tests show that it is one hundred times more sensitive than the best commercial ultraviolet flame detectors and therefore, it is able to reliably detect a flame of 1.5x1.5x1.5 m3 at a distance of about 1km. An additional and unique feature of this detector is its imaging capability, which in combination with other techniques, may significantly reduce false fire alarms when operating in an automatic mode. Preliminary results conducted with air filled photosensitive gaseous detectors are also presented. The approach main advantages include both the simplicity of manufacturing and affordability of construction materials such as plastics and glues specifically reducing detector production cost. The sensitivity of these air filled detectors at certain conditions may be as high as those filled with Ne and EF. Long term test results of such sealed detectors indicate a significant progress in this direction. We believe that our detectors utilized in addition to other flame and smoke sensors will exceptionally increase the sensitivity of forest fire detection systems. Our future efforts will be focused on attempts to commercialize such detectors utilizing our aforementioned findings.