主管:中华人民共和国应急管理部
主办:应急管理部天津消防研究所
ISSN 1009-0029  CN 12-1311/TU

Fire Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (9): 1176-1183.

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Advances in fire detection technologies: From conventional alarm systems to latent period monitoring and early warning

Fu Teng1,2,3,4, Wang Junsheng5, Cheng Yanying6, Wang Yuzhong1,3,4   

  1. (1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymer Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan 610065, China; 2. Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan 610065, China; 3. Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan 610065, China; 4. National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan 610065, China; 5. Tianjin Fire Science and Technology Research Institute of MEM, Tianjin 300381, China; 6. Chengdu Fire Protection and Rescue Research Center, Chengdu Sichuan 610405, China)
  • Received:2025-07-09 Revised:2025-08-07 Online:2025-09-15 Published:2025-09-15

Abstract: Advanced fire detection and early-warning technologies are critical for source-level risk control and timely intervention. This article systematically reviews the developmental stages and macroscopic characteristics of fires, and identifies three key factors governing the response time of detection systems: the onset time of characteristic hazardous signals, their propagation time to the detector, and the intrinsic response time of the device. The fundamental principles and inherent limitations of conventional detection and alarm technologies are summarized. Building on an in-depth understanding of the combustion mechanism of combustibles, especially the initial pyrolysis and combustion stages, design methodologies for devices and systems capable of detecting latent-stage fires are further introduced. These approaches rely on the precise recognition of trace-level hazardous signals specific to the combustion context, too. Finally, we outline future trends in fire warning technologies, which are expected to evolve towards greater specialization, sensitivity, and accuracy.

Key words: fire detection, monitoring and early warning, combustion mechanism, sensing devices, latent fire