Which type of smoke detector is quicker in detecting slow-burning or smoldering fires?

Photoelectric detectors are specifically designed to detect slow-burning or smoldering fires more quickly than other types of smoke detectors. They operate based on a light source and a light sensor. When smoke enters the detection chamber, it scatters the light beam, which then triggers the alarm.

This technology is particularly effective for identifying smoldering fires that produce larger particles of combustion before full ignition occurs. In contrast, other types of detectors, such as ionization detectors, are more responsive to fast-flaming fires that generate small particles. Combination detectors incorporate both technologies (photoelectric and ionization), making them versatile but not necessarily faster at detecting slow-burning fires than a dedicated photoelectric detector.

Flame detectors, while effective at detecting flames, are not suited for early warning of smoldering fires because they require a significant amount of heat or an actual flame to trigger. Thus, the photoelectric model stands out for its sensitivity to the specific characteristics of slow-burning fires, making it the quickest in such scenarios.