Beam, heat and flame detectors are commonly used in open spaces for fire detection but have proved problematic. Beam detectors are susceptible to building movement and prone to false alarms due to dust, condensation and object intrusion. They also are difficult to align and therefore time consuming to install. While offering higher reliability, heat and flame detectors only detect fire in the developed, flaming stage, which negates early detection and results in threats to life safety and major property damage.
