Automist Smartscan
®
Handbook v1.2.3
Plumis Ltd Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
Page 6 of 64
S MA RT SC AN
®
Automist Smartscan Operation
When triggered by the heat detector, the Automist Smartscan spray head scans back and forth,
measuring the temperatures around the room using an infrared (IR) sensor. Once the peak
temperature location has been determined, the spray head will lock onto that location and activate the
high pressure pump, driving mains water through the unique nozzle unit, quickly directing a dense fog
into the location of the fire. The high momentum vertical spray orientation with a horizontal trajectory
ensures that even shielded fires are saturated with a turbulent flow of mist, suppressing the fire.
In the event of a fire, Automist Smartscan is triggered automatically by a relay contact, provided by one
or more heat alarms/detectors,
1
compliant with either BS 5446-2 or BS EN 54-5
2
.
The link between
detector and relay may involve a fire panel or, more commonly, a direct wired or wireless connection
between the devices.
Automist Smartscan can be stopped manually by pressing a button on the pump’s front panel, by
means of an optional remote STOP button, or by cutting power to the independent circuit on the
consumer unit (marked with an indicator sticker).
Watermist has a different principle of fire fighting to sprinklers which suppress fires by wetting surfaces and
directly cooling the flames with large water drops, helped by gravity. Water mist uses fine droplets that
evaporate at the base of the fire to extract heat (cool) the fire and displaces oxygen from the fire zone,
resulting in fire control, suppression or extinguishment. Thus, water mist works best when placed closer to
the ground avoiding ineffective evaporation in the hot layer in the ceiling and the upward flow of hot
combustion products. Automist leverages this phenomenon by placing the spray head half way up the wall
(around light switch height): between the hot layer and furniture. This allows increased fire suppression
performance with the same amount of water. Automist is a member of the International Water Mist
Association’s (IWMA) “Archimedes Club” for the
products which utilise the optimum deployment of water
mist technology.
1
In this document the terms “heat alarm” and “heat detector” are used interchangeably
.
2 With suitable interface equipment, either BS 5446-2 heat alarms or BS EN 54-5 heat detectors may be used to
activate Automist. Other specific alarms/detector models are also acceptable where Plumis has tested the
products and documented their use on the Plumis Partner Site library page, provided that associated Plumis and
manufacturer guidance is followed.
