A metro, subway, or underground station is a railway station for a rapid transport system. The station provides a means for passengers to purchase tickets, wait for, board and disembark trains.
Most metro stations are underground and are usually located to provide access to important urban facilities such as roads, commercial centres and other transport nodes. They often have several public entrances, ticket barriers or turnstiles and several platforms to provide access to different rail services.
Like all public places, it is essential that suitable and reliable fire detection is installed in subway stations to ensure that those occupying the space are given enough time to evacuate to safety in the event of a fire.
What are the Risks?
Metro stations can accept thousands of people every day. This high volume foot traffic means that things like litter, smoking and general disregard for the rules can lead to an increased risk of fire. Combine this with other fire risks such as malfunctioning equipment, overloaded cabling and potential threats of arson, and the potential for serious fires increases.
Underground stations can be difficult to access in emergency situations which drastically affects emergency response times. They are often deep underground, crowded with people (who can often be panicked in an emergency) and difficult to navigate. There is also an increased risk of asphyxiation by smoke collecting in confined tunnels. Therefore, the chosen fire detection system must be able to provide a fast and reliable response.
What are the Challenges?
- Limited Access
- Fire detection systems in metro stations can be difficult to access for maintenance testing and replacement. Therefore, a low maintenance solution would be the preferred option.
- Installation Time
- Fire alarm installation is often time consuming and disruptive. The longer the system takes to install, the more downtime the station will suffer, leading to disruption to important transport links.
- Rapid Air Movement
- Subways, metros and underground railways not only have unpredictable and irregular airflow, but are also subject to rapid air movement as trains pass through.
- False Alarms
- Metro tunnels contain a lot of dust and exhaust fumes that can have a negative effect on some traditional detection types resulting in unreliable detection and an increase in nuisance alarms. Movement and vibrations can also cause false alarms.
Handpicked Products for a Metro Station
OSID (Open-Area Smoke Imaging Detection) from Xtralis overcomes the typical fire detection challenges found in metro tunnels and stations. Its unique, patented, dual-wavelength multi-beam technology means that it can detect fires in even the most challenging environment while being totally unaffected by building movement, larger objects, such as insects, and dust.
An OSID detection solution consists of at least one OSID emitter and one OSID imager placed on opposite walls and roughly aligned with each other.
OSID uses dual light frequencies, ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR), to assist in identifying real smoke. They are aligned using a low-cost laser alignment tool which makes them quick and easy to install.
OSID is also equipped with a CMOS imaging chip, as opposed to a single diode that is found in more primitive beam detection technology. This means that the image is not only easy to align, but that it has excellent tolerance to building movement and vibrations. The use of a CMOS imaging chip also allows for the use of up to seven OSID emitters per OSID imager. This means that various emitters can be installed on different floors to provide increased coverage.
Imagers
OSID 7° Imagers provide 7° horizontal coverage and 4° vertical coverage and are designed for use with one emitter.
OSID 80° integers provide 80° horizontal coverage and 48° vertical coverage and are designed to be used with up to 7 emitters.
Emitters
Battery powered, standard power emitters drastically reduce wiring and installation costs while providing a range of 30 – 150m when used with the OSID 7°Imager and 6 – 34m when used with OSID 80° Imager.
Hardwired emitters are typically used when hardwiring is convenient and also provide a range of 30 – 150m when used with the OSID 7°Imager and 6 – 34m when used with OSID 80° Imager.
Hardwired, high power OSID Emitters provide a range of 12-68m when used with OSID 80° Imagers. High-power emitters are not suitable for use with 7° Imagers.
The high-power battery powered emitter provides a range of 12-50m and is also only suited to OSID 80° Imagers.
Why Choose Eurofyre?
- Complete System Supplier
- Eurofyre manufactures and supplies all aspects of fire detection and its associated safety products, including beam detection systems, and can provide expert advice and consultation.
- Demonstration and Training
- We offer demonstrations and expert training on a range of systems, including OSID imaging detectors, in our very own sophisticated training facility.
- After-Sales Support
- Eurofyre offers both on-site and telephone support to assist you in ensuring that your system is fully functional and operating at maximum efficiency. Our after-sales care and support are second to none.
For more information about OSID, or to discuss any of the other products that Eurofyre has to offer, please feel free to get in touch either by phone on +44 (0) 1329 835 024, by email to [email protected] or via the online enquiry form situated on our contact page.
Don’t forget you can follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook or sign up to our newsletter (in the footer below) to receive all the latest information from Eurofyre.