New flame detector delivers superior performance for optimal fire safety

Plant managers and other personnel responsible for fire safety at oil refineries, chemical plants, or other industrial facilities will find the new General Monitors FL500 UV/IR Flame Detector from MSA offers relentless protection to safeguard people, equipment and facilities.

The next-generation FL500 optical flame detector is FM performance approved for six different fuel sources: butane, ethane, heptane, methane, methanol and propane. By combining a precision ultraviolet (UV) sensor for quick response with an infrared (IR) sensor that monitors flame-emitted radiation, the FL500 flame detector operates at faster speeds with unsurpassed false alarm immunity to provide the industry’s most reliable monitoring in its class.

The FL500 detector offers a wide field of view up to 130° for optimum protection. It features three external LED indicators for local verification by technicians of normal operation, fault conditions and alarms. On-board relays provide flexible detector status communications with automated plant safety and control systems via HART, Modbus, 4-20 mA sink or source communications.

Designed with continuous optical path monitoring (COPM), the exceptionally dependable FL500 flame detector conducts its own self-check every two minutes. These optical and electrical self-check diagnostic routines ensure the sensor’s optical path is clear and that the detector’s sophisticated electronic circuitry is operational for true operator peace-of-mind.

The FL500 detector also can be tested with the explosion proof TL105 Test Lamp, which simulates the flickering of a fire and provides a high-energy, broadband radiation source that emits energy in both the ultraviolet and infrared spectra to safely activate the flame sensors. The TL105 Test Lamp allows the detector to be tested under real fire conditions without the associated risk of an open flame.

With its new and improved design, the FL500 UV/IR flame detector offers a reduced footprint and simplified wiring to make it easy-to-install and maintain. Its rugged 316 stainless steel housing measures a compact 4.5-inches (114 mm) in diameter by 5.5-inches (140 mm) in length and weighs only 9 pounds (4.0 kg).

The FL500 provides fire safety monitoring in the most demanding environments around the globe--from the heat of the Middle East to the frigid regions of Northern Europe and Canada. The operating temperature range is: -67°F (-55°C) to 185°F (85°C) with a relative humidity range of 0 to 95% RH, non-condensing.

addition to FM performance approval, other global approvals include: CSA, ATEX, IECEx, EN 54-10 and CE Marking. The next-generation FL500 UV/IR Flame Detector represents the true future of flame monitoring performance, reliability, flexibility and value.