Fire & Gas Mapping Study

Fire and Gas Mapping Study includes the placing of detectors in appropriate locations to achieve the best possible detection coverage. Through design iterations, the effects of different detector arrangements or detection technology on detection coverage are quantified and assessed, stopping when the desired performance target is met.

The Fire and Gas Mapping Study is usually conducted in the design stage to ensure that the detector coverage targets are met and the current fire and gas arrangement is effective to accomplish its intended designed function.

Fire and Gas Mapping Study is usually carried out to ensure effective design and implementation of the fire and gas system, which actually plays a vital role to avoid the severe consequences from an initial event (e.g. loss of containment).

A Fire and Gas Mapping Study encloses the below steps:

1. Documenting the Process Plant

   This stage comprises building up a model that offers the process data (vessel and pipe substances, pressures and temperatures and locations). It can be the same data that is used for the risk assessment.

2. Recording the Fire and Gas Detection System

   This stage contains defining the location, direction (for the fire detectors), path (for open path detectors), and detection thresholds (from the instrument specifications)

3. Assessing Detectability

   For the gas cloud, a check is made to decide whether it is detected by one, two or more detectors. For fires, a check is made to decide whether each fire is within the detection zone of one or more detectors.

4. Conducting Sensitivity study

   The effect of moving, adding and discarding sensors is examined for the more likely design improvements.

5. Mapping out the Detector Coverage Zone

   The range and aperture angle of the detectors is acquired from manufacturer specifications and is plotted on a 3D plot of the plant.