TECHNICAL NOTE

FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM AND SPURIOUS (FALSE) FIRE WARNING

OF THE AIRCRAFT - AN OVERVIEW

D.K. Chaturvedi, Manik Chandra Singh

Department of Electrical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University)
Dayalbagh, Agra-282 005, India
Email : [email protected]

Abstract
New fire detection technologies are under evaluation for better aircraft safety and risk
managements. The goal is to reduce the false alarm rate and to improve safety and reliability
features of an aircraft. In this paper, an overview of different types of fire detection system of
aircraft is given. Technology currently used for fire detection and protection are discussed.
Also analysis and the probable causes of false fire warning of the aircraft are listed along with
its future scope of fire protection system for aircraft are discussed.

Keywords: Fire Detection System, Fire Alarm, Aircraft Safety, False Alarm

Introduction Historical Prospective

A fire protection system in an aircraft includes passive • In 1658 New York’s finest deployed men to walk
and active fire protection. Passive fire protection is real- around the streets looking for fires, with buckets on
ized by using fire proof or inflammable materials in all ladders and ringing bells to warn the community. In the
areas of the aircraft including lining, cables, interior etc. 1800s, fire alarms became a little more advanced with
In this paper, the active fire protection system is consid- the placement of bell towers around cities to warn off
ered which consists of unit and continuous loop type fire
people of a fire (Source:www.ryanfp.com/fire-alarm-
detectors. Also analysis of spurious fire warning on air-
history).
craft is discussed.
• The fire alarm progressed in 1852, where it reached a
Several aircraft areas are equipped with fire detection new level of technology. Using the telegraph system,
instruments [1-4]. These are the cargo compartments, the two alarm boxes with a telegraphic key were used to
electronic compartments and the lavatories. The most report neighbourhood fires. One man would crank the
important and critical area is the Engine nacelle and LG handle that was attached to the box, releasing the key
well, which is inaccessible during flight. to send out a message to the central alarm station. The
telegrapher at the central station would then send out
Since fire is one of the most dangerous threats to an
the address of the location to the fire department
aircraft, the potential fire zones of modern multiengine
aircraft are protected by a fixed fire protection system. A (Source:www.ryanfp.com/fire- alarm- history).
fire zone is an area, or region, of an aircraft designed by • The first automatic electric fire alarm was patented in
the manufacturer to require fire detection and/or fire ex- 1890 byFrancis Robbins Upton and Fernando dibbe
tinguishing equipment and a high degree of inherent fire (Source: the smoke detector.umwblog.org/antece-
resistance [5-10]. dents-evolution).

A complete fire protection system on modern aircraft • Thermal detectors are the oldest type of automatic
and on many older aircraft includes a fire detection system detection device, having origin in the mid 1800’s, with
and a fire extinguishing system. several styles still in production today.
Paper Code : V69 N2/962-2017. Manuscript received on 21 Oct 2016. Reviewed, revised and accepted as a Technical Note
on 11 Apr 2017
MAY 2017 FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT 337

• Prior to the middle of the 20th century, few office The following is a list of detection methods most
buildings and no residences were protected by automat- commonly used in turbine engine aircraft fire protection
ic fire detection systems of any type. systems.
• In 1939 Swiss physicist Dr. Ernst Meilidevised an
• Rate-of-temperature-rise detectors.
ionisation chamber device capable of detecting com-
bustible gases (Source: Wikipedia/fire alarm/ history). • Radiation sensing detectors.
• The invention of the cold cathode tube in the 1940s • Smoke detectors.
allowed Meili to produce the forerunner of the modern
• Overheat detectors.
ionisation smoke detector (Source: Wikipedia/fire
alarm/ history). • Carbon monoxide detectors.
• Smoke detectors are a much newer technology, having • Observation of crew or passengers.
gained wide usage during the 1970’s and 1980’s in
residential and life safety applications.
The different types of detectors mentioned above have
• In new trend gas filled tube type fire detectors are used different principles, speed, accuracy and reliability. Based
for fire detection of aircraft engine compartment [11- on the safety requirement(s) one or more types of fire
15]. detectors are used in aircraft fire protection system.
• Different sensor outputs are efficiently used by intelli-
gent softcomputing techniques to accurately detect the Important Features of Ideal Fire Detection System
fire and automatic initiation of fire warning / extin- An ideal fire detection system will include the follow-
guishing system [16-17]. ing features for the aircraft.

The Principle of Fire Detection

• A system which will not cause false warnings under
Unit/Spot Fire Detection any flight or ground operating conditions.

Two basic type of unit fire detectors used in the aircraft • Rapid indication of a fire and accurate location of the
are thermocouple and a bi-metallic switch. A thermocou- fire.
ple consists of two dissimilar materials which will gener- • Accurate indication that a fire is extinguished.
ate a small voltage when its heated as shown in Fig.1. They
are also used in Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT). • Indication that a fire has re-ignited.
• Continuous indication for duration of a fire.
The bi-metallic switch as shown in Fig.2 detects a
• The means for electrically testing the integration of
temperature change as each of the two dissimilar materials
detectors from the aircraft cockpit.
have a different expansion thereby deforming the metal
arm and contacting a switch, thereby opening or closing it • Detectors which resist exposure to oil, water, vibration,
depending on the type of switch that is used. extreme temperatures, maintenance handling.
• Detectors which are light in weight and easily adapt-
able to any mounting position.
Continuous-Loop Detection System
• Detector circuitry which operates directly from the
A continuous-loop detector or sensing system permits
aircraft power system without inverters.
more complete coverage of a fire hazard area than any type
of spot-type temperature detectors. Continuous-loop sys- • Less power consumption requirements when not indi-
tems are versions of the thermal switch system. They are cating a fire.
overheat systems, heat-sensitive units that complete elec-
• Each detection system should actuate a cockpit light
trical circuits at a certain temperature. There is no rate-of-
indicating the location of the fire and an audible alarm
heat-rise sensitivity in a continuous-loop system. Two
system.
widely used continuous-loop systems are the Kidde and
the Fenwal systems. • A separate detection system for each engine.
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Fire Protected Zones of the Aircraft slave relay. The slave relay then closes and completes the
circuit to the warning light to give a visual fire warning.
The fire detectors are installed on the following zones
of the aircraft:
The total number of thermocouples used in individual
detector circuits depends on the size of the fire zones and
• Left Wing the total circuit resistance, which usually does not exceed
• Left engine nacelle 5 ohms.
• Right wing
Thermal Switch System
• Right engine nacelle
The thermal switches are heat sensitive units that com-
• APU(Auxiliary Power Unit)
plete electrical circuits at a certain temperature. They are
• Cargo compartment connected in parallel with each other but in series with the
indicator lights as shown in Fig.4. If the temperature rises
• Avionics compartment
above a set value in any one section of the circuit, the
thermal switch closes, completing the light circuit to indi-
Fire Detection System Used in Aircraft cate a fire or overheat condition. No set number of thermal
switches is required; the exact number is usually deter-
A fire detection system should signal the presence of
mined by the aircraft manufacturer.
a fire. Units of the system are installed in locations where
there are greater possibilities of a fire. Three detector
systems in common use, are the thermal switch, thermo-
Continuous-Loop Systems
couple, and the continuous loop.
Almost all transport aircraft exclusively uses continu-
ous thermal sensing elements for engine and wheel fire
Thermocouple System
protection. These systems offer superior detection per-
A thermocouple depends on the rate of temperature formance and coverage, and they have the proven rugged-
rise and does not give a warning when an engine slowly ness to survive in the harsh environment of modern turbo
overheats or a short circuit develops. The system consists fan engines.
of a relay box, warning lights, and thermocouples. The
wiring system of these units may be divided into the A continuous-loop detector or sensing system permits
following circuits: more complete coverage of a fire hazard area than any of
the spot-type temperature detectors. Two widely used
• Detector circuit types of continuous-loop systems are the thermistor type
detectors, such as the Kidde and the Fenwal systems, and
• Alarm circuit, and the pneumatic pressure detector.
• Test circuit
Fenwal System : The Fenwal system uses a slender In-
These circuits are shown in Fig.3. The relay box con- conel tube packed with thermally sensitive eutectic salt
tains two relays, the sensitive relay and the slave relay, and and a nickel wire center conductor. Lengths of these
the thermal test unit. sensing elements are connected in series to a control unit.
The elements may be of equal or varying length and of the
In the engine compartment, there is a normal, gradual same or different temperature settings. The control unit,
rise in temperature from engine operation; because it is operating directly from the power source, impresses a
gradual, both junctions heat at the same rate and no warn- small voltage on the sensing elements. When an overheat
ing signal is given. If there is a fire, however, the hot condition occurs at any point along the element length, the
junction heats more rapidly than the reference junction. resistance of the eutectic salt within the sensing element
The ensuing voltage causes a current to flow within the drops sharply, causing current to flow between the outer
detector circuit. Any time the current is greater than 4 mA sheath and the centre conductor. This current flow is
(0.004 ampere), the sensitive relay closes. This completes sensed by the control unit, which produces a signal to
a circuit from the aircraft power system to the coil of the actuate the output relay and activate the alarms.
MAY 2017 FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT 339

Kidde System: In the Kidde continuous-loop system, two further analysis, out of these, 102 cases of fire indications
wires are imbedded in an inconel tube filled with a ther- only 4 cases (3.9%) of actual fire were observed. It means
mistor core material. Two electrical conductors go 98 cases (96.1%) were false fire warning. The 98 cases of
through the length of the core. One conductor has a ground
connection to the tube, and the other conductor connects false fire warning and 4 cases of actual fire warning can
to the fire detection control unit. As the temperature of the be broken down as follows:
core increases, electrical resistance to the ground de-
creases. The fire detection control unit monitors this resis- • 34 cases of fire warning activations 33.33%, which is
tance. explained in Table-2.

Pressure Type Sensor Responder Systems: Some • 10 cases of Hot start 9.8%.
smaller turboprop aircraft are outfitted with pneumatic
• 8 cases of Short circuit related to circuit-breaker
single point detectors. The design of these detectors is
based on the principles of gas laws. The sensing element switches or rheostats 7.8%.
consists of a closed, helium filled tube connected at one
• 5 cases of failed windshield-wiper motors 4.9%.
end to a responder assembly. As the element is heated, the
gas pressure inside the tube increases until the alarm • 5 cases of Smoke through the heat ducts 4.9%.
threshold is reached. At this point, an internal switch
closes and reports an alarm to the cockpit. Continuous Table-1 : Classification of Events
fault monitoring is included. This type of sensor is de- (False Fire Warning)
signed as a single-sensor detection system and does not
Physical Identified Causes of
require a control unit.
Conditions Sources Events
Fire Detection Control Unit and Work flow of Fire Aircraft’s place Source (Engine System
Detectors and situations or Wing of the misbehaviour
aircraft)
The control unit for the simplest type of system (Fig.5)
Flight phase Aerosol
typically contains the necessary electronic resistance
presence
monitoring and alarm output circuits housed in a hermeti-
cally sealed aluminium case fitted with a mounting bracket Environment Leakage in the Human error
and electrical connector. In the most advanced applica- conditions cable of ignition
tions, the detection system circuitry controls all aircraft unit
fire protection functions, including fire detection and ex- Atmospheric Propagation Bad weather
tinguishing for engines, APUs, cargo bays as shown in condition conditions
Fig.6.
Hazards to Non Unknown
aircraft classification events
Analysis of Spurious Fire Warning of Aircraft
Classification Logic of Fire and False Fire Warning:
Fire and false alarm events in operation were extracted
from different data base and compiled as shown in Fig.7. Table-2 : 34-Cases of False Fire Warning of UH-I
Aircraft
Attributed Factors of False Fire Warning of Aircraft: Sl. Unit/Area No. of %
The physical conditions, identified sources and causes of No. Involved Cases
events are shown in Table-1.
1 Control Box 4 14%
Case Studies 2 Poor Connection 7 18%
Fire Warning of UH-I Iriquois (an USA Army Air- 3 Short or System Grounded 3 9%
craft): The UH- I was evaluated for fire indications be- 4 Sensor Wire Failure 15 42%
tween fiscal years 1988 and 1992. During this period, the 5 Unspecified 5 16%
UH- I had approximately 102 cases of fire indication. On
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• 5 cases of Smoke in the transmission area from spilled • A transient voltage or radio interference may be reason
oil or chaffing 4.9%. for false fire signal.
• 7 cases of Failures (shorts) of instruments, inverters or • A poor installation of fire detectors in the aircraft.
relays 5.8%.
• Poor insulation of electrical wires connected to detec-
• 5 cases of Battery failures 4.9%. tors may cause false fire warning hence IR test of fire
detectors wiring to be performed at regular servicing of
• 5 cases of Unknown sources of electrical smoke
the aircraft.
4.9%.
• 4 cases of actual fire warning (seen by the crew or
Reliability of Fire Detection System
ground crew) at or near the engine compartment
3.9%. • The explanation of actual fire alarm events is tricky
because most of the time, the parameters recorded at
The 34 cases of false fire-warning activations of UH-I the time of the event do not allow to determine the
could be broken down as shown in Table-2. condition for which the alarms were triggered and can
even lead to wrong conclusions.
General Outcomes from the Analysis of Spurious Fire • However this study has acquainted us that the percent-
Warning: The study of false fire warning (refer Fig.8) age of correct alarming system is very less in this case
acquainted that in most of the cases, the conditions in the study only 2.3% . The recommendation is, with proper
fire protected area at the time of the alarm were not exactly maintenance of fire detectors, control box and concern
known by the pilots or the crew members; therefore false electrical wiring the reliability of fire protection system
alarm events were often considered unexplainable or at- can be improved.
tributed to a system malfunction whereas a better knowl-
edge of these conditions would have led to a different • False alarm sources are also diversified, in some cases
classification. the corresponding single physical parameters may be
very close to those that characterise the start of a fire.
The recommendation is use a suitable and advanced fire
However, system wrong judgement under degraded
detectors technology for aircraft.
situations (wiring failures, power supply failures, misman-
agement of redundancies in case of internal failures, ..) • Under these conditions, the adjunction of several de-
take probably a significant part in the overall ratio and tection criterions can increase considerably the dis-
have to be considered as an improvement axis. criminatory capabilities of the fire detection systems.

Probable Causes of Spurious Fire Warning in • The dynamics of the various signals has to be taken into
Aircraft account in the fire alarm decision as an additional
discriminatory factor. Performance development or
• Intermittent alarms are most often caused by an inter- qualification tests must be on one hand feasible under
mittent short in the detector system wiring. Such shorts well controlled metrological conditions and on the
may be caused by a loose wire that occasionally touches other hand representative of a large range of realistic
a nearby terminal, a frayed wire brushing against a fire and non-fire situations.
structure.
• A sensing element rubbing against a structural member Conclusion and Future Scope
may cause a false fire alarm signal.
New fire detection technologies bear the potential to
• Kinks and sharp bends in the sensing element can cause improve the safety of aircraft by making a fire warning
an internal wire to short intermittently to the outer more reliable and by reducing the false alarm rate. Fire
tubing. alarms and warning lights may occur when actually no
engine fire exists. Such false alarms can be most easily
• Moisture in the detection system some time causes a
located by disconnecting the engine sensing loop connec-
false fire alarm.
tions from the control unit. If the false alarm ceases when
• Malfunctioning of electronic components of fire con- the engine sensing loop is disconnected, the fault is in the
trol unit. disconnected sensing loop, which should be examined for
MAY 2017 FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT 341

areas that have been bent into contact with hot parts of the 8. "Cargo Compartment Fire Detection Instruments",
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is used for fire detection instruments strongly influences 9. Gross Handler, W., "Towards the Development of a
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Safety Journal, 29, 2007, pp.113-128.
Recently under investigation are advanced fire detec-
tion technologies with the aim to identify the proper fire
signatures (gas, smoke, heat etc.) as they may develop in 10. "International Conference on Automatic Fire Detec-
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algorithms which allow linking these fire parameters to
non-fire events that may be present in the aircraft. In order 11. Grosshandler, W. L., "An Assessment of Technolo-
to reduce the rates of alarm error, some soft computing gies for Advanced Fire Detection", Heat and Mass
models may be used such as artificial neural network, Transfer in Fire and Combustion Systems, ASME
Fuzzy systems or fuzzy neural network for processing fire HTD-Vol.223, December 1997, pp.1-10.
signal.
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342 JOURNAL OF AEROSPACE SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGIES VOL.69, No.2

Fig.3 Thermocouple Fire Warning Circuit

Fig.1 Thermocouple

Fig.4 Thermal Switch Fire Circuit

Fig.2 Bimetalic Switch

Fig.5 Aircraft Fire Detection System Control Module

(FDs - Fire Detectors) Fig.6 Fire Detector Work Flow
MAY 2017 FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT 343

Fig.8 Ratio Fire/False Alarm

Fig.7 Fire and False Alarm Classification Logic