Improvable method for Halon 1301 concentration measurement based on infrared absorption

Abstract Halon 1301 has attached much interest because of its pervasive use as an effective fire suppressant agent in aircraft related fires, and the study of fire suppressant agent concentration measurement is especially of interest. In this work, a Halon 1301 concentration measurement method based on the Beer–Lambert law is developed. IR light is transmitted through mixed gas, and the light intensity with and without the agent present is measured. The intensity ratio is a function of the volume percentage of Halon 1301, and the voltage output of the detector is proportional to light intensity. As such, the relationship between the volume percentage and voltage ratio can be established. The concentration measurement system shows a relative error of the system less than ±2.50%, and a full scale error within 1.20%. This work also discusses the effect of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the calibration. The experimental results of voltage ratio versus Halon 1301 volume percentage relationship show that the voltage ratio drops significantly as temperature rises from 25 to 100 °C, and it decreases as RH rises from 0% to 100%.