TLX Fire & Security introduces a liquid level sensor that enables continuous monitoring of extinguishing agent weight, improving system reliability and reducing reliance on manual inspection methods.
Clean agent fire suppression systems are not simple off-the-shelf products. They are carefully engineered for the specific room they are intended to protect. Engineers must consider the room volume, room integrity (how airtight the room is), air exchange rates induced by HVAC systems, the type of hazard and fuel load that will be present, and the type of extinguishing agent the system will use.
These systems are designed to flood the room with a specific concentration of extinguishing agent. Misjudging any one of these factors can result in an inadequate concentration, and the system may fail to extinguish a fire even if it successfully discharges.
Ensuring that the extinguishing agent cylinders are charged with the correct amount of agent is no less critical than a properly designed system. During biannual inspections, technicians will verify the weight of the extinguishing agent in each cylinder. But legacy methods rely on manual measurements and calculations, which can lead to errors. Furthermore, if a leak slowly discharges a cylinder between inspections, the defect may not be discovered and corrected until the next scheduled inspection. Either of these scenarios could lead to low agent concentration.
TLX Fire & Security’s Liquid Level Sensor (LLS) eliminates these risks by automatically displaying the thermally compensated weight of the extinguishing agent directly at the cylinder, allowing on-site personnel to easily verify agent weight between inspections.
The LLS is designed for welded cylinders and is installed prior to filling. This solution includes a sealed tube with a magnetic float mounted on the tube’s exterior. There is another float inside the tube that magnetically moves with the exterior float. These rise and fall together as the fluid level in the cylinder changes to provide an accurate measurement of the fluid level.
A sensor package at the end of the tube at the top of the cylinder includes a thermocouple. Interior float position and temperature data are sent to the LLS’s microcontroller, which is preprogrammed with a conversion table for that specific cylinder and extinguishing agent configuration. The microcontroller uses the data to accurately calculate the thermally compensated weight of the extinguishing agent.
The thermocouple is a critical feature that prevents costly false alarms caused by inaccurate manual temperature readings or calculations. It allows the LLS to automatically compensate for the thermal expansion and contraction of the agent throughout the full temperature range specified for the system.
The weight of the agent is indicated directly at the cylinder on a digital display, which also includes a green/yellow/red LED that provides a quick visual indication of the cylinder’s status.
The LLS continuously monitors the agent weight, meaning any loss of agent can be quickly identified and corrected without waiting for a biannual inspection. This means cylinder maintenance can be expedited, adding a level of security to help ensure that the system is fully charged and ready to extinguish a fire.
TLX is working closely with UL to obtain UL Listing for the LLS and anticipates beginning testing in Q3 of 2026.
To find out more, go to: tlxfire.com
