What are types of fire detectors and its position onboard as per SOLAS and its details?

Detectors shall be operated by:

1. Heat,
2. Smoke or other products of combustion,
3. Flame, or any combination of these factors.

Detectors operated by other factors indicative of incipient fires may be considered by the Administration provided that they are no less sensitive than such detectors. Flame detectors shall only be used in addition to smoke or heat detectors.

1. Heat detectors:

It Shall be certified to operate before the temperature exceeds 78°C, but not until the temperature exceeds 54°C, when the temperature is raised to those limits at a rate less than 1°C per minute. At higher rates of temperature rise, the heat detector shall operate within temperature limits to the satisfaction of the Administration having regard to the avoidance of detector insensitivity or oversensitivity.

The operation temperature of heat detectors in drying rooms and similar spaces of a normal high ambient temperature may be up to 130°C, and up to 140°C in saunas.

2. Smoke detectors:

It is Required in stairways, corridors and escape routes within accommodation spaces shall be certified to operate before the smoke density exceeds 12.5% obscuration per metre, but not until the smoke density exceeds 2% obscuration per metre. Smoke detectors to be installed in other spaces shall operate within sensitivity limits to the satisfaction of the Administration having regard to the avoidance of detector insensitivity or oversensitivity.

At least one smoke accumulator shall be located in every enclosed space for which smoke detection is required. However, where a space is designed to carry oil or refrigerated cargo alternatively with cargoes for which a smoke sampling system is required, means may be provided to isolate the smoke accumulators in such compartments for the system. Smoke accumulators shall be located for optimum performance and shall be spaced so that no part of the overhead deck area is more than 12 m measured horizontally from an accumulator

3. Flame detector

A flame detector is a sensor designed to detect and respond to the presence of a flame or fire. Responses to a detected flame depend on the installation, but can include sounding an alarm, deactivating a fuel line (such as a propane or a natural gas line), and activating a fire suppression system.  A flame detector can often respond faster and more accurately than a smoke or heat detector due to the mechanisms it uses to detect the flame.

Position of detectors

Detectors shall be located for optimum performance. Position near beams and ventilation ducts or other positions where patterns of air flow could adversely affect performance and positions where impact or physical damage is likely shall be avoided. Detectors which are located on the overhead shall be a minimum distance of 0.5 m away from bulkheads,  except in corridors, lockers and stairways.

Spacing of detectors are :

Note:

1. All detectors shall be of a type such that they can be tested for correct operation and restored to normal surveillance without the renewal of any component.
2. Duplicate sample extraction fans shall be provided. The fans shall be of sufficient capacity to operate under normal ventilation conditions in the protected area and shall give an overall response time to the satisfaction of the Administration.
3. Detectors and manually operated call points shall be grouped into sections
4. A section of fire detectors which covers a control station, a service space or an accommodation space shall not include a machinery space of category A. For fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems with remotely and individually identifiable fire detectors, a loop covering sections of fire detectors in accommodation, service spaces and control stations shall not include sections of fire detectors in machinery spaces of category A.