A hierarchical strategy for under-ground early fire detection based on a T-cycled semiconductor gas sensor

Based on a single semiconductor gas sensor device operated in a T-cycled mode we developed a hierarchical identification strategy for the use in under-ground early fire detection systems, i.e. in coal mines. This strategy not only provides the identification of the alarm scenario to be detected (CO and ethene in a specific ratio) but is also suitable for identifying or quantifying typical interfering compounds (such as relative humidity, methane, CO, NO_x or hydrogen) thus helping to avoid costly false alarms. Based on a high-dynamic-range hardware control and data acquisition platform, a commercial semiconductor gas sensor operated with an application-optimized temperature cycle and the evaluation strategy presented here our development provides classification reproducibility as well as robustness allowing the realization of a novel, cost-efficient and fast under-ground early fire detection system.