Flame Detectors – UV, IR, IR3 & Visual Flame Detection Systems

Flame detectors are fire detection devices used where open flame or invisible flame may be present with little or no smoke, where fire growth is rapid, or where conventional smoke and heat detection is ineffective. Typical applications include open process areas, outdoor installations, dusty / powder particle area, and high-energy fire risks.

This page covers UV, IR, IR3 (triple IR), and visual (camera-based) flame detection systems commonly specified in industrial and infrastructure projects.

Detection Technologies

UV Flame Detectors

• Detect ultraviolet spectrum radiation emitted by invisible flames
• Typical response time: < 10 ms
• Typical field of view: 90°–120° (conical)
• Typical detection distance: 10–60 m for reference fires
• Effective for flames with strong UV emission characteristics

IR Flame Detectors

• Detect infrared radiation spectrum band generated by flames
• Typical detection distance: 20–60 m for hydrocarbon reference fires
• Typical field of view: 60°–120°
• Applied where UV-only detection may be affected by background conditions

IR3 (Triple IR) Flame Detectors

• Multi-spectral infrared sensing using three IR wavelength bands with flame-pattern correlation
• Provides visual confirmation alongside alarm output
• Used where remote verification or incident review is required
• Often deployed in conjunction with IR / IR3 detection

Flame Types & Fire Scenarios Covered

Depending on technology and features, flame detectors are installed for:

• Hydrocarbon pool and jet fires
• Gas fires (natural gas, LPG, refinery gases)
• Hydrogen flames
• Coal, flour, formulation, food dust or powder
• Alcohol and solvent fires
• Chemical process flames
• Open electrical or mechanical ignition sources

Typical Application

• Refineries and petrochemical plants
• Pharmaceuticals, formulation, Chemical processing units
• Food processing, milk powder unit
• Coal yard, conveyors, bunker, mines
• LNG/LPG facilities and tank farms
• Hydrogen production, storage and handling areas
• Power plants and turbine enclosures
• Battery energy storage systems (BESS)
• Loading/unloading terminals and marine facilities
• Paint booths and solvent handling areas
• Large open industrial yards

Key Technical Characteristics

Detection & Coverage

• Defined detection distance based on standard reference fires upto 60 meters
• Fixed optical field of view (FOV) for coverage zoning – 90 to 120 deg
• Line-of-sight detection (no smoke transport dependency)

Outputs & Interfaces

• Alarm relay output(s)
• Fault relay output
• 4–20 mA analog output
• RS-485 / Modbus RTU
• HART communication
• Local status / alarm LEDs

System Integration Interfaces

• Fire alarm panels
• Fire & Gas Systems (FGS)
• BMS / SCADA / DCS
• Safety shutdown and suppression systems
• PLC / Fan starter Panels

Housing & Environmental Ratings

• Industrial housings in aluminium or SS316
• Typical ingress protection: IP66 / IP67
• Operating temperature range typically –40 °C to +75 °C
• High resistance to vibration and EMI/RFI
• Optional heated optics for condensation, ice or snow environment

Diagnostics & Maintenance

• Continuous optical path monitoring
• Automatic self-test functions
• Fault and status indication
• Event or fault logging (model-dependent)
• Designed for periodic functional testing without removal

Accessories & Installation Components

• Adjustable mounting brackets
• Sunshades and protective covers
• Window protection or air-purge accessories
• Junction boxes and approved cable entries
• Optical flame simulators / test sources
• Camera modules or video interfaces (for visual systems)

Installation Considerations

• Clear, unobstructed line of sight to risk area
• Mounting orientation aligned with defined FOV
• Avoidance of reflective surfaces within detection cone
• Coverage overlap where required by risk assessment
• Access for inspection and functional testing

Standards & Approvals

• EN 54-10 (flame detector performance)
• FM performance standards (e.g. FM 3260)
• UL / FM listings where specified
• IEC standards for industrial fire detection
• ATEX / IECEx where required by project
• SIL suitability for safety-related applications
• LPCB or equivalent third-party approvals

Flame detection solutions are available from multiple established global manufacturers, including Xtralis, Kidde, Det-Tronics, Teledyne, MSA Safety, Honeywell, Spectrex and Dräger.
InfraMENA facilitates sourcing, integration and documentation support for project-specified brands or approved equivalents.

InfraMENA supports project-approved makes or technically equivalent alternatives, aligned to specification, certification, availability and lifecycle considerations.

Enquiry

For technical evaluation, typical inputs include:

• Flame emission spectrum
• Fuel type
• Applicable standards and approvals
• Application and fire risk description
• Required detection distance and coverage.
• Interface requirements.

Submit flame detector requirement

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