Test Fires Conformance

World Class
Testing
Laboratories:
Audio Visual
Environmental
Performance
and Verification
Fire Test
EMC

www.apollo-fire.co.uk
TEST FIRES Conformance World Class Testing

TF2 TF4 TF6 TF8

Apollo Fire Detectors fire test facility is fully compliant
to EN54-7:2000 annex F, in that it conforms to the
dimentional requirements for a fire test room.
The position of the detectors being tested is also laid out
in the requirements of the standard with regard to their
relationship to the measuring equipment mounted on the
ceiling. There are also requirements on how the smoke is
evacuated at the end of every test run.
The measuring equipment
required for a fire test room are:
A measuring ionisation chamber
An obscuration meter or smoke
extinction meter
A carbon monoxide sensor
A pyrolysis fire, slow smouldering wood
blocks producing high concentrations
of grey/white optical smoke, as well as
fairly high concentrations of CO (carbon
monoxide). This fire is suited for optical
detectors, multi sensor detectors with
an optical sensing element, point CO
detectors.
A flaming type fire using open cell
polyurethane foam, this foam does
not have a fire retardant coating so it
burns quite readily, this fire is suited to
ionisation detectors due to flames being
present, this fire also produces dark
smoke, and a small but measureable level
of CO, again suitable for optical type
detectors, CO sensors, and ionisation type
detectors. Can be used for certain types of
heat detector, there is a small increase in
the rate of rise of temperature during fire.
Fast flaming type fire using methylated
spirit, a clean burning fire that
produces little optical smoke, very high
concentrations of ionisation particles
and a reasonably fast rate of rise of
temperature, suitable for ionisation
detectors, multi sensors, and certain
types of heat detectors.
This fire uses a chemical solvent
Dekalin, which produces a very small
flame but high concentrations of black
smoke, with virtually no rate of rise of
temperature. This fire is regarded as
a limiting fire for any type of detector
with an optical sensing element as
the detector response is reduced
significantly, therefore optical, and multi
sensor detector tend to struggle with this
fire. Not suitable for heat or ionisation
detectors.

This equipment allows for

complete monitoring of all
aspects of a fire with regards to
the combustion products being
produced.

TF1 TF3 TF5 TF7 TF9

A flaming type fire using wood sticks,
produces reasonably high levels of
optical smoke, and ionisation particles,
this fire suited to optical and multi
sensors, and ionisation detectors, a
small change in the rate of rise of
temperature will also be present.
A slow smouldering fire using
unbleached cotton shoe lace
material, loosely woven to allow for
slow smoulder characteristics, high
concentrations of grey/white smoke
and very high concentrations of CO,
suitable for CO sensors, and optical type
detectors.
Fast flaming type fire using chemical
solvents, a high rate of rise per minute of
temperature during this fire, suitable for
ionisation detectors as a high concentration
of ionised particles are produced, multi
sensors with a heat sensing element and
some types of heat detectors. Not so
good for optical type detectors as this fire
produces darker smoke particles which
slow the optical response down.
A pyrolysis fire, similar to a TF2 fire
however the temperature is greatly
reduced, slow smouldering wood blocks
producing high concentrations of grey/
white optical smoke, as well as fairly
high concentrations of CO (carbon
monoxide). This fire is suited for optical
detectors, multi sensor detectors with an
optical sensing element and point CO
detectors.
This fire uses a cotton bath towel with
an electrical element wound inside. This
causes a slow smouldering fire which
produces large amounts of dense white
optical smoke and high concentrations
of CO, with virtually no rate of rise of
temperature. This fire is suitable for CO
detectors, any optical or multi sensor
with an optical element.
 PP2441/2013/Issue 1

Fire response by detector type

XP95 Detectors
Fire Ionisation Optical Multi sensor Heat
type response response response response
TF1 Moderate Very good Very good Moderate
TF2 Moderate Good Good Very poor
TF3 Moderate Good Good Very poor
TF4 Very good Good Good Very good
TF5 Very good Very good Very good Very good
TF6 Poor Good Very good Very good
TF7 Moderate Poor Good Poor
TF8 Poor Poor Poor Poor
TF9 Poor Good Good Poor

Discovery Detectors
Fire Ionisation Optical Multi sensor Heat CO CO Heat
type response response response response response response
TF1 Good Good Good Good Good Moderate
TF2 Poor Good Good Poor Very good Good
TF3 Good Good Good Poor Very good Good
TF4 Very good Good Good Poor Poor Moderate
TF5 Very good Poor Good Good Poor Moderate
TF6 Good Poor Very good Very good Poor Moderate
TF7 Poor Very good Very good Poor Very good Good
TF8 Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor
TF9 Poor Very good Very good Poor Very good Very good

Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd 2013

MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
36 Brookside Road, Havant, Tel: +44 (0)23 9249 2412 Email: sales@apollo-fire.com
Hampshire, PO9 1JR, UK. Fax: +44 (0)23 9249 2754 Web: www.apollo-fire.co.uk
Assessed to ISO 9001:2008 Certificate No. 010 Assessed to ISO 14001:2004
LPCB Cert No. 010 See www.RedBookLive.com Certificate number EMS 010