Johnsson, E.
, Zarzecki, M.
and Cleary, T.
(2017),
Using Photoelectric Smoke Detection to Warn of Pre-Ignition Conditions of Unattended Cooking Fires, Technical Note (NIST TN), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1960
(Accessed December 13, 2024)
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Using Photoelectric Smoke Detection to Warn of Pre-Ignition Conditions of Unattended Cooking Fires
Published
Author(s)
, ,
Abstract
A series of experiments was conducted to examine the potential to use kitchen-installed photoelectric smoke detection devices to warn of approaching ignition of food during unattended cooking. An electric range, range hood, and cabinets were installed in a mock-up kitchen. Research smoke meters and standard off-the-shelf photoelectric smoke detectors were installed above the food, on the ceiling, and on the upper wall. In addition to smoke meter and smoke detector outputs, pan and food temperatures along with digital videos of the experiments were recorded. Cooking oils and bacon were heated to ignition. The standard threshold smoke detection devices not designed for kitchen use alarmed several minutes before ignition. Typically smoke production reached unacceptable levels at least 2 min before ignition. Standard hamburger tests were also conducted to compare smoke levels from attended, but smoky, cooking to the unattended cooking smoke. Analysis indicates that there is a useful time window of smoke obscuration thresholds above smoky attended cooking and sufficiently prior to ignition to allow warning that would either alert the cook to return and de-energize the range or to interface with an automatic de-energizing device interfaced with the range.Citation
Technical Note (NIST TN) - 1960
Report Number
1960
NIST Pub Series
Pub Type
NIST Pubs
Download Paper
Keywords
Smoke detectors, photoelectric detectors, unattended cooking, cooking fires, range fires, smoke alarms, pre-ignition warning
Citation
Issues
If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact reflib@nist.gov.
Created May 1, 2017, Updated September 30, 2024