The potential of predictive thermography

Thermographic temperature detection systems, used for fire-fighting purposes, are today one of the most reliable technologies in the field of prevention as they are able to greatly anticipate the onset of the triggering causes of the fire.

Based on the contactless temperature reading, it is possible to identify an anomalous increase in temperature and promptly eliminate it before reaching the ignition values.

Thermographic systems can also be adopted in outdoor areas where other traditional systems are difficult to apply.

Most of the fire detection systems, currently on the market, are activated when the ignition temperature is reached, allowing a reduced intervention time for the application of the compensatory measures of the fire risk, as required by the legislation in force regarding the fight against fire. fire and safety personnel.

The thermographic system for early detection of ignition, by recognizing it before it becomes significant, allows the application of small compensatory measures such as to prevent the onset of the chemical oxidation reaction which is the basis for starting combustion.
These measures can be traced back, due to the considerable warning possible with thermographic detection, to non-firefighting actions, but to predictive maintenance operations or of an organizational nature.

Act before the trigger

The graph corresponds to the generic representation of the phases involved in the generation of a fire.

•  IGNITION (see UNI EN 1127-1:2019 listing all the 13 recognized sources of ignition)
•  PROPAGATION
•  GENERALIZED FIRE
•  EXTINCTION

The traditional detection systems highlight, when well adopted, the presence of the ignition source and in most cases they already intervene in the propagation phases.

It is known that from ignition, the compensation measures reported in the company emergency plan must be characterized by an immediacy of adoption which, if not implemented, renders them useless due to the exponential growth of the magnitude of the effects of the fire.

The thermographic detection system allows, as deliberately shown in the graph before ignition, to operate in a temperature range not yet associated with fire risk, greatly increasing the time between the generation of the alarm signal and the start of the measurements of fire fighting.

The generation of false alarms

If the thermographic analysis is entrusted exclusively to the control software installed on board the single thermal imaging camera, the detection system can generate frequent false alarms, caused by external elements that are not an integral part of the system to be monitored.

The generation of false alarms, linked to the presence of hot elements (operating means, plant elements, etc.) not discriminated by the thermographic system, are the main cause of non-use of thermographic detection because it is linked to unjustified interruption of the production process.

The thermographic system developed by Mozzanica allows for the processing of images taken by radiometric thermal imaging cameras, making it possible to recognise, even before ignition, potentially dangerous thermal variations, excluding heat sources unrelated to the process.

The system is constantly connected to an EN 54 fire control panel connected to a UNI EN 50518 certified H24 operations center so as to allow the correct management of the alarm transmission procedures and the possible automatic activation of active protection systems.

The rigorous ordinary and extraordinary maintenance plans for the entire system, including the necessary and mandatory periodic checks, guarantee the efficiency of the entire fire safety management system.

It's universal

The thermographic detection system is applicable to any industrial or service activity both in fire fighting and in the safeguarding of company assets, in the continuity and control of the production process and in safeguarding the corporate image, especially for environmental aspects.

It can be integrated

Mozzanica is able to integrate the thermographic system with its proprietary See.iT IoT technology thanks to which it can offer a remote monitoring and diagnostic service.
It can also be integrated with fixed automatic shutdown systems or pan/tilt monitors.