INTERDUCTION

To assess the capabilities and limitations of aspirating and optical beam smoke detectors installed in high ceiling spaces, BRE Trust and the FIA jointly funded a programme of research. As part of this, a full-scale fire test programme was carried out to determine the response characteristics of aspirating and optical beam smoke detectors (approved, respectively, to BS EN 54-20:2006[1] and BS EN 54-12:2002[2]) in a high ceiling space and exposed to a broad range of smoke types. The fire tests were conducted in a hangar that was 64 m long, 40 m wide and 41–43.5 m high.