A major chemical treatment centre in Budapest, Hungary is using a FIRERAY 5000 and 14 FIRERAY F50R reflective infrared beam smoke detectors from Fire Fighting Enterprises (FFE) as part of its fire protection system.

The system was designed and installed by the company's Hungarian distributor Elektrovill Biztons?gtechnikai Zrt. The beam detectors are being used to cover large, open areas of the centre, as the wall-mounting and massive detection area per unit make them a more efficient and effective option in such an environment.

"We realised that in this aggressive chemical environment we would not be able to use normal point detectors" said ??os K?rti, the Managing Director of Elektrovill. Each FIRERAY F50R unit can protect an area of up to 750m2 from a single wired installation point on a wall near the ceiling. The F50R hosts the IR beam transmitter and receiver in the same housing, with the beam being aimed at a prismatic reflector plate on the opposite wall to the unit. Smoke entering the beam path causes interference and reduction in signal strength, resulting in an alarm signal when a preset threshold is reached.

In the treatment centre, the detectors are situated in the warehousing and storage areas of the complex, which feature the type of open-plan architecture and high ceilings that make the most of the beam detectors' particular advantages. "Deformation caused by change in temperature is a huge problem here in certain parts of the centre, but we prevented these types of faults with the new 5000 series" - said K?rti. Although not necessary in this instance, ATEX-approved FIRERAY models are also available for use in explosion-risk environments.

Vishwajeet Thakar, India Manager, Fire Fighting Enterprises, Mumbai. Tel: 022-6708 0400. Fax: 91-22-67080415. Email: vthakar@ffeuk.com