Fire Detection Algorithms Using Multimodal ... - Bilkent University

Chapter 5Flame Detection Using PIRSensorsIn this chapter, a flame detection system based on a pyroelectric (or passive)infrared (PIR) sensor is described. Since the PIR sensor can be visualized asa single-pixel camera, an algorithm similar to the (IR) video flame detection isdeveloped.The fundamental property that is used in the methods described in Chapters2 and 3 for is the random flicker of flames. As pointed out in Chapters 2 and 3,flame flicker behavior is a wide-band activity. Similar behavior for flame flickerare also reported in [82] and [7]. As a result, a Markov model based modeling offlame flicker process produces more robust performance compared to frequencydomain based methods. In [82], several experiments on the relationship betweenburner size and flame flicker frequency are presented. Recent research on pyro-IRbased combustion monitoring includes [7] in which a monitoring system using anarray of PIR detectors is realized.A regular camera or typical IR flame sensors have a fire detection range of 30meters. This is due to the fact that flicker in flames cannot be or sensed fromlonger distances. Therefore, PIR based systems provide a cost-effective solutionto the fire detection problem in relatively large rooms as the unit cost of a camera68