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Fire integration with BMS

BMS – building management system – the industry buzzword, it seems. But what happens when the integration of a fire system is required?

Often the initial design requirements of a fire detection installation tend towards a standalone system with analogue integration to other systems via relay or open collector outputs. While the fire system will invariably function as required in this manner, it provides little to the end-user in the way of a value-added purchase.

Modern control systems are designed to not only perform the tasks for which they are intended, but to add functionality and, most importantly, information to the users and decision-makers involved.

This functionality becomes rather watered-down when these systems have to operate in a standalone manner, hence the use of BMS systems and along with that the full utilisation of the features available from a smoke detection system.

With a well-designed and technologically-capable fire system, the response time to a developing fire can be dramatically shortened, and action taken before damage is done to the plant or equipment. Due to the additional information available to on-site response personnel, the costly use of suppression systems such as sprinklers or gas could potentially be avoided as response time can be shortened.

On activation of a smoke detector, the BMS system could release the mag-locks on the doors both via the fire detection system and access control and simultaneously shut down the air-handling units.

This information relayed to on-site response personnel assists in a successful response to the conditions on-site.

Statistical information can be extracted via the software as required and in the post-event analysis of a positive activation, the actions taken by each component of a system can be reviewed to obtain factual data pertaining to the actual events and to assist in improving the responses and actions to reduce the future risk or improve the standard response to a potential event.

As far as the physical detection layout is concerned, the only changes required are in the control equipment in so far as most BMS integration is done via software and very few conventional control panels have a communication port to facilitate this connection.

An addressable system would be required to provide the correct information pertaining to detector address, location and status to the BMS system software.

It is therefore important when selecting a BMS to ensure that interfacing to the specified fire system is possible, that a dedicated communication port is available on the fire panel and that all the necessary protocols are supported.

In the event of interfacing software being required, there are a number of companies in South Africa that specialise in writing drivers to accomplish this and most manufacturers or suppliers will provide their panel communication data.

It is important to view a safety and security installation as one complete system, rather than a number of separate components.

Dave Boyack can be contacted on +27 (0)11 237 9600 or [email protected]

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