Bandweaver Technology’s FireLaser LHD to provide superior fire protection at Amsterdams's car parking facility

Together with SenseTek, Bandweaver Technology’s flagship Linear Heat Detection (LHD) solution, FireLaser, offers over 7,000m of coverage at Parking Garage P10 Plaza Arena in Amsterdam. With the capability to detect a pan fire test of just 0.25m2, the system successfully meets some of the most stringent fire regulations in the world. SenseTek, a specialist in fire detection applications, worked with the client to design a solution that meets and surpasses these requirements.

Covering a total area of approximately 30,000 m2, the car park can hold more than 800 vehicles at any point in time. Housing companies such as Adidas-Reebok, DAS Verzekeringen, Graydon, British Telecom, ING, and Cisco Systems, the facility require the best technology to provide safe and effective fire protection.

FireLaser system

Using fiber-optic DTS, the FireLaser system captures measurements every 5 seconds

FireLaser is the only system on the market to be approved to the latest version of the EN54-22 standard, which defines product characteristics, methods of testing, and performance criteria against which the reliability and effectiveness of the system are measured.

Using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS), the FireLaser system captures measurements every 5 seconds, almost six times faster than Bandweaver’s closest competitors.

Most accurate linear heat detection solutions

This early detection both minimises potential damage and provides an advanced warning to prevent loss of life. This superior performance also allows Bandweaver to easily pass the 0.25m2 fire pan test as per the regulations whereas the competing systems often require a fire pan test that is 4 times the size (1m2) to commission the system.

This is outside the regulations and the owner must apply for an exception which can prove difficult and results in a less responsive system. These updates firmly establish FireLaser as one of the fastest and most accurate linear heat detection solutions on the market, providing real-world benefit to clients.

Minimal maintenance, longer lifespan

The cable can cover a total distance of up to 10km, with detection points every 1m, ensuring there are no blind spots

FireLaser is specifically designed for use in special hazard environments and can detect a fire anywhere along the length of a linear heat sensing fibre optic cable. The cable can cover a total distance of up to 10km, with detection points every 1m, ensuring there are no blind spots or gaps in the system. This means that FireLaser can pinpoint the source of fire with unrivalled accuracy.

The sensing cable is unaffected by dust or moisture, is non-corrosive, and completely passive, with no moving parts. As such, FireLaser is well suited to a wide range of applications with a typical lifespan of more than 30 years. Furthermore, the system carries a very low cost of ownership with minimal ongoing maintenance.

Benefits of FireLaser LHD solution

For this project, cabling was installed at the ceiling level and manipulated to accommodate variable ceiling heights, multiple levels, and surfaces. It was also designed with cable redundancy in mind. If one cable is damaged, FireLaser LHD continues to function without interruption up to the point of damage. To achieve this, the system was configured in two separate loops, with one loop length 3,900m in length and the other 3,150m.

The superior benefits of Bandweaver’s FireLaser LHD solution meant that it was an obvious choice for SenseTek and their customer. With increasing market recognition of the benefits of Bandweaver’s FireLaser system, the company has high expectations for continued growth through 2022.