A Study on Response Characteristics of Photoelectric Type Smoke Detector Chamber Due to Dust Color

This paper is based on a study of the response characteristics of photoelectric type smoke detector chambers according to dust color. Due to an amendment to the Fire Safety Codes to automatic fire alarm systems and visual alarm device, the installation of indoor smoke detectors has become mandatory, but in Korea there is still insufficient research on the non-operation or false alarms that could arise in indoor environments by indoor dust and other environmental conditions etc. In light of this, for this study, research was conducted on the indoor adaptability of smoke detector under various colors of fiber dust that were judged to occur most frequently in among the common indoor dust, photoelectric smoke detector with the lattice-type smoke detection chamber that the smoke detector which is most popular in the country was used, and four colors of fiber dust (brown, white, gray and black) were used the test dusts for carrying out dust and sensitivity testing. Also, the voltage of the photocell part of the smoke chamber was measured, and the scattering phenomenon in the chamber was observed. The result of the testing showed that all four dust types were suitable for dust and sensitivity testing under conditions of pollution A. Yet, there were occasions, at pollution B or C, where the brown, white and gray dust would cause fail alarm during operation testing. And black dust was confirmed to cause non-operation during operation testing. In the case of brown and white dust, the voltage measurement result of the photocell part of the smoke chamber confirmed that the voltage increases as the pollution level increases, and in the case of gray and black dust, the voltage decreases.