Traditionally, the fields of security, fire detection and environmental monitoring have always been separate. Now a British company has made it possible to combine all three disciplines, and much more, into one unit.
Back in 1990, ICAM, of Worthing in West Sussex, UK, pioneered a new technique for air sampling of gas and smoke. This led to a patented system for air sampling over a wide area with the ability to pinpoint the source of an incident. Initially, ICAM developed this technology in a range of OEM controls and products, leading to the launch of the FireTracer Industrial range of air-sampling units in 1997.
The FireTracer and GasTracer units were the first to use a new laser nephelometer smoke detector designed by ICAM with a unique field serviceable chamber. The systems have been used in heavy industrial areas where the construction materials including the heavy gauge steel casing, chemically resistant air sampling chamber and industrial standard controls are essential.
The industrial range has sampling options from four to 30 tube configurations with the ability to pinpoint the precise source of an incident with up to 30 directly addressable sampling points.
Whilst ICAM's Industrial range gained acceptance around the world including South Africa, the company perceived the gaps between fire safety, security and environmental monitoring. In keeping with the company's policies, a new product, the FireTracer e-series, was born.
FireTracer
The e-series has been designed to offer a complete site protection package for small to medium-sized areas such as computer rooms, offices, high value and historic sites.
The system is based on the ICAM air-sampling valves, aspirators and laser smoke detectors with air-sampling options in single, 4, 6, 8 and 15-channel versions, and for the first time in an air-sampling system, integral fresh air reference compensation has been offered. Gas detection within the air-sampling stream can be added to this. As rooms containing computer racks or high value equipment are usually subject to restricted access, access control indication and reporting is available as an option on the e-series. Environmental detectors for temperature, humidity and flood can be sited in the risk area and connected back to the industrial PLC style modular input/output system incorporated in the e-series.
This new class of product, where all sensing is integrated in a single package, was not only conceived because of the obvious cost savings afforded by integration. More importantly, integration allows access to all logged data from all sensors.
In addition, ICAM has developed software that allows remote monitoring and control on a PC, and data can be stored for up to two years. The company has designed the e-series in such a way that logged data can be accessed over a TCP/IP network and the Internet in an efficient and effective manner.
Further security is available with video and audio images by using a webcam with the e-series. The optional camera uses a compression system where only changes in the image are transmitted. Video and audio are stored using an on-board compact flash card.
In the UK, ICAM installations include Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and British Telecom. In South Africa, systems have been installed by, among others, Anglo Operations, Anglo Platinum, De Beers and Telkom. ICAM is ISO 9000 accredited by the Loss Prevention and Certification Board, (LPCB), and UL and FM certifications have been initiated.
For further details contact Les Mitchell, Set Point Technology on tel: (011) 823 1050, fax: (011) 823 1054.
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