An archive is an important place for storing, processing and transmitting significant files. In general, it contains files that have been selected for permanent preservation with value. Archival records are normally unpublished and almost always unique. Therefore, the fire safety of the archive is quite important.
The Causes of Fire in Archive
The first cause is the electrical equipment. There are computers, photocopies, scanners, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other electrical equipment in the archive, if they are not used safely, causing problems like damaged insulation, leakage of electricity and short circuit, it is likely to cause a fire. Besides, the electrical equipment in the archive is put concentrated, things like inappropriate line quotas, wrong installation, friction and heating of mechanical parts and the storage of flammable materials can easily lead to fires.
The second cause is the flammable files in the archive. There are a large number of precious documents and various profiles collected in the archive, such as paper materials, silk materials in the old times and film materials. Once these materials encounter flames or electric sparks, there might be serious fires and damage. Therefore, it is really necessary to pay close attention to the fire control in the archive and clean out the potential safety hazards in time.
Disadvantages of Conventional Smoke Detection System
The conventional smoke detection system is not sensitive enough to be applied in the archive. If using the smoke detector or heat detector, by the time it detects the smoke from the fire and gives alarms, the fire in the archive may already be serious and most of the files might get ruined.
The sensitivity of the aspirating smoke detection system is about 1000 times that of the conventional smoke detection system. The aspirating smoke detection system can detect unseen smoke particles in early fires.
The aspirating smoke detection system is much different from the conventional smoke detection system. The air sampling pipes of the aspirating smoke detection system have small sample ports drilled every few meters. Using the suction pump inside the panel, the air or smoke will be sucked into the pipes through these small ports and be sent to the smoke detector which will detect the smoke concentration of the air sample, and give an early alarm.
