A remedy can be found by full optical simulation of the
smoke detector and by so-called ‘‘virtual prototyping’’. In
the case of an optical scattering smoke detector, this
includes precise modelling of all optically relevant components
including the labyrinth and the smoke of the test
fires. Foremost, simulation allows for the search, visualisation
and elimination of blazing spots in the labyrinth.
Blazing spots transport large amounts of parasitic light
from the source to the detector without any scattering from
smoke particles. Furthermore, simulation enables one to
calculate the main characteristics of an optical scattering
smoke detector from scratch, i.e. the detector’s zerosmoke
signal and its response to the presence of the smoke
of test fires.