Vision Fire & Security

ASPIRE2 User Guide

October 21, 2004
Part Number: 30013
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Copyright Information
This document is protected by copyright under the laws of Australia and other jurisdictions throughout the world. It must not by any means,
either in whole or part, be reproduced, communicated to the public, adapted, distributed, sold, modified, published except as permitted by
any laws or statute or with prior written consent of VFS International Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2004 VFS International Pty Ltd ACN 100 259 381

Disclaimer
The manufacturer reserves the right to change designs or specifications without obligation and without further notice. VESDA,
LaserTEKNIC, LaserPLUS, LaserSCANNER, LaserCOMPACT, LaserFOCUS, VESDAnet, VESDAlink, ASPIRE, ASPIRE2, AutoLearn,
VSM, VConfig, InfoWORKS, PROACTIV, PRECISION, VSC, ADPRO, FastTrace, FastVu, FastScan, Axiom, PRO, Amux and Video
Central are brands and trade marks used under license by the distributor.

Codes and Standards Information

We strongly recommend that this document is read in conjunction with the appropriate local codes and standards for smoke detection
systems and electrical connections. This document contains generic information and some sections may not comply fully with all local
codes and standards. In these cases, the local codes and standards must take precedence.

FCC Compliance Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures, re-orientate or relocate the receiving antenna, increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver, connect the equipment to a power outlet which is on a different power circuit to the receiver or consult the dealer or an
experienced radio/television technician for help.

FM 3611 Hazardous Approval Warning

Exposure to some chemicals may degrade the sealing of relays used on the detector. Relays used on the detector are marked "TX2-5V" or
"G6S-2-5V" or "EC2-5NU".

UL Warning
The fire alarm threshold (signal) that initiates an evacuation procedure via the Fire Alarm Panel must not be set higher than 0.625%/ft. The
detector can send this signal either via the Fire Alarm Panel Output signal or the Pre-alarm output signal.

Safety Label
This VESDA product incorporates a laser device and is classified as a Class 1 laser product that complies with FDA regulations 21 CFR
1040.10. The laser is housed in a sealed detector chamber and contains no serviceable parts. This laser emits invisible light and can be
hazardous if viewed with the naked eye. Under no circumstances should the detector chamber be opened.

General Warning
This VESDA® Aspirating Smoke Detection System must only be installed, configured and used strictly in accordance with the General
Terms and Conditions and System Design Manual available from VFS International Pty Ltd. You acknowledge that you have read and
agree to those terms and conditions. All proper health and safety precautions must be taken during the installation, commissioning and
maintenance of the VESDA® Aspirating Smoke Detection System. The system should not be connected to a power source until all the
components have been installed. Proper safety precautions must be taken during tests and maintenance of the VESDA® products when
these are still connected to the power source. Failure to do so or tampering with the electronics inside the products can result in an electric
shock causing injury or death and may cause equipment damage. VESDA® is not responsible and cannot be held accountable for any
liability that may arise due to improper use of the equipment and/or failure to take proper precautions. Only persons trained through a
VESDA® accredited training course can install, test and maintain the system.

Limitation of Liability
This VESDA® Aspirating / Air Sampling Smoke Detection System must only be installed, configured and used strictly in accordance with
the General Terms and Conditions, this manual and the System Design Manual available from VFS International Pty Ltd (VFS). You
acknowledge that you have read and agree to those terms and conditions.
You acknowledge that you have been provided with a reasonable opportunity to appraise the VESDA® System and have made your own
independent assessment of the fitness or suitability of the VESDA® System for your purpose. You acknowledge that you have not relied on
any oral or written information, representation or advice given by or on behalf of VFS or its representatives.
VFS has no liability to you or any person for incidental or consequential loss, expense or damages including, without limitation, loss of
business, loss of profits or loss of data. You indemnify VFS for any claim, amount or liability brought against VFS in connection with the
VESDA® System.
You expressly agree that you assume the entire risk as to the results and performance of the VESDA® System resulting from the
configuration of the VESDA® System. VFS does not warrant, guarantee or make any representations, either expressly or implied,
regarding the current or future use, or the results of the use, of the VESDA® System, with respect to its correctness, accuracy, reliability,
completeness, interworking, functionality, currentness or otherwise resulting from the configuration of the VESDA® System.
To the full extent permitted by law, VFS expressly excludes all conditions, warranties and liability, whether imposed or implied by statute or
by rule of law or otherwise, which are not expressly set out in the General Terms and Conditions.

i
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

To the extent permitted by law, your sole recourse for any defect of, damage to, or performance standard of the VESDA® System will be
under the express warranties the General Terms and Conditions (if applicable) and VFS will in no event be liable to pay any amount or
damages resulting from or in connection with the VESDA® System.
To the extent by law that any limitation or exclusion can not apply, the total liability of VFS in relation to the VESDA® System is limited to:
(i) in the case of services, the cost of having the services supplied again; or
(ii) in the case of goods, the lowest cost of replacing the goods, acquiring equivalent goods or having the goods repaired.
To the extent permitted by law, VFS has no liability with respect to damage to or arising out of, or the condition or performance of, the
VESDA® System resulting from (i) negligence or improper use, storage, installation, configuration commission, service maintenance or
handling of the VESDA® System (where 'improper' includes treatment other than in accordance with the VESDA Manual, these terms and
conditions or the information provided at a training session); (ii) accident, unforeseeable circumstances or disaster; (iii) modifications to the
VESDA® System other than in accordance with VFS's instructions; (iv) attachment of or interoperation with features, software or products
not approved by VFS in writing; or (v) where the VESDA® System has been serviced by persons not authorized by VFS in writing to
service the VESDA® System.

VESDA Product Warranty Conditions

VFS International Pty Ltd (VFS) warrants that new VESDA products (excluding consumable items) will conform to its published
specifications and remain in good working order during the warranty period of 24 (twenty four) months from the date an invoice is issued by
VFS to its distributor.
VFS also warrants that products serviced or repaired by its service department will remain in good working order for a warranty period of
12 (twelve) months from the date of service. This service or repair warranty is only available on products less than 7 (seven) years old and
only covers those component parts of the products serviced, repaired or replaced.
Should product under warranty not be in good working order, VFS will, at its option, either repair or replace the product or its component
parts at no additional charge.
Spare parts and replacement product, covered under this warranty, will be furnished on an exchange basis and will, at the option of VFS
either be new, equivalent to new or reconditioned. Returned parts and products to VFS become the property of VFS.
This warranty does not cover the repair or damage to the product resulting from or arising out of (i) negligence or improper use storage,
installation, configuration, commission, service, maintenance or handling of the product (where 'improper' includes treatment other than in
accordance with any manual or instructions for use of the product);(ii) accident, unforeseeable circumstances or disaster; (iii) modifications
to the product other than in accordance with VFS's instructions; (iv) attachment of features or interoperation with features, software or
products not approved by VFS in writing; or (v) where the product has been serviced by persons not authorized by VFS in writing to service
the product.

Warranty service may be obtained by:

Notifying Vision Systems and giving full description of fault.
Vision Systems will first attempt to rectify fault by supplying replacement component parts.
If rectification is not achieved by component part replacement then distributor is to return faulty product to Vision Systems at Vision
Systems cost once Vision Systems has given approval to do so.

Document Conventions
The following typographic conventions are used in this document.

Convention Description

Bold Used to denote: emphasis

Used for names of menus, menu options, toolbar buttons

Italics Used to denote: references to other parts of this document or

other documents. Used for the result of an action

The following icons are used in this document

Convention Description

Caution: This icon is used to indicate that there is a danger to

equipment. The danger could be loss of data, physical damage,
or permanent corruption of configuration details.

Warning: This icon is used to indicate that there is a danger of

electric shock. This may lead to death or permanent injury.

ii
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Warning: This icon is used to indicate that there is a danger of

inhaling dangerous substances. This may lead to death or
permanent injury.

This version of the manual was updated to match version 1.20.00 of ASPIRE2. For the latest copy of this manual see www.vesda.com
Engineering Number: 10259_00

iii
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

iv
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Contents
Scope ................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction to ASPIRE2 .................................................................................................................1

Where Does ASPIRE2 Fit in the Customer Life Cycle ............................................................1
Features ..................................................................................................................................1
What ASPIRE2 Can Do ..........................................................................................................2
What ASPIRE2 Can NOT Do ..................................................................................................2

Installing ASPIRE2 ..........................................................................................................................2

System Specification ...............................................................................................................2
Install ASPIRE2 from CD: ...................................................................................................2
Install ASPIRE2 from a file Downloaded File ......................................................................3
Registering ASPIRE2 ..............................................................................................................3
Running ASPIRE2 ...................................................................................................................3

Creating a New Project ...................................................................................................................3

Add a Detector ........................................................................................................................3
Add a Note ..........................................................................................................................4
Add a Pipe ...............................................................................................................................4
Adding extra bends .............................................................................................................4
Changing Pipe Direction .....................................................................................................4
Modifying Hole Sizes ..........................................................................................................5
Modifying Pipe Diameter .....................................................................................................5
Test if it is a good design ........................................................................................................5
Saving your Results ................................................................................................................6
Generating Reports .................................................................................................................6

Creating an Effective Design ..........................................................................................................6

Advanced Design Using Groups .............................................................................................6

Resolving Common Site Design Problems ...................................................................................7

The Group Sensitivity Needs to Improve ................................................................................7
The Transport Time Needs to Improve ...................................................................................8
The Flow Balance Needs to Improve ......................................................................................8
The Minimum Hole Flow Needs to Improve ............................................................................8
The Minimum Hole Pressure Needs to Improve .....................................................................9

The ASPIRE2 Interface ....................................................................................................................9

The ASPIRE2 Window ..........................................................................................................10
The Tree View ...................................................................................................................11
Interacting with the ASPIRE2 Interface .................................................................................11
The Colors Used by ASPIRE2 ..........................................................................................11
The Menus ............................................................................................................................12
The File Menu ...................................................................................................................12
The Edit Menu ...................................................................................................................12
The View Menu .................................................................................................................12
The Insert Menu ................................................................................................................12
The Tools Menu ................................................................................................................13
The Help Menu .................................................................................................................13
The Toolbars (ShortCut & Palette) ........................................................................................13
The Shortcut Toolbar ........................................................................................................13
The Palette Toolbar ..........................................................................................................14

v
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®
Views .................................................................................................................................... 15
The Project View ............................................................................................................... 15
The Detector View ............................................................................................................ 16
The Pipe View ................................................................................................................... 20
The 3D View ..................................................................................................................... 22
IDP (Installation Data Pack) .............................................................................................. 22
BOM (Bill Of Materials) ..................................................................................................... 24

The Pipe Wizard ............................................................................................................................ 24

The Pipe Selection Screen of the Pipe Wizard ................................................................. 25
Simple Pipe Wizard .......................................................................................................... 25
Branched Pipe Wizard ...................................................................................................... 26
The H Configuration Pipe Wizard ..................................................................................... 27
The Multiple Branch Pipe Wizard ..................................................................................... 28
Pipe Wizard Pipe Properties ............................................................................................. 29
The Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ......................................................................................... 30
The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ..................................................... 30
The Group Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ........................................................ 31
The Pipe Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ........................................................... 32
The Simple Pipe Wizard Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ................................... 33
The T Configuration Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog .......................................... 33
The H Configuration Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog ......................................... 34
The Multiple Branch Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog .......................................... 35
The Edit System Default Dialog ........................................................................................ 36
The Language Setting Dialog ........................................................................................... 36

Configure Your Own Applications and Defaults ........................................................................ 37

vi
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

1.1 Scope
The ASPIRE2 User Guide has been written for pipe network designers. It will assist you to
understand and use the ASPIRE2 software.
This guide covers the installation, configuration of default settings, and the use of the ASPIRE2
software to design and test pipe network solutions.
This guide contains information on the possible ways to resolve limitations in a pipe network
design, and to arrive at an acceptable solution.
It is assumed that you have already attended VESDA accredited training and are knowledgeable
about the local codes and standards that apply to the system design.
For further information on the theory of pipe network design see the VESDA Pipe Network
Design Guide.

1.2 Introduction to ASPIRE2

ASPIRE2 helps you rapidly evaluate the performance of the proposed pipe network solutions.
It allows you to enter all the site specific information then automatically test a range of possible
sample hole solutions. ASPIRE2 also allows you to configure the design parameters to suit your
local fire codes and standards. The default settings can also be configured to accommodate
installation or materials restrictions such as the hole sizes.
Through the use of ASPIRE2 and the good design principles outlined in the VESDA Pipe
Network Design Guide you will be able to determine good designs, and you can then select the
most appropriate design for your project.
ASPIRE2 allows you to automatically create a bill of materials, an installation data pack (IDP),
and a 3D model of the pipe network.
For ease of access, information on the definition and use of fields in the software is covered in
the ASPIRE2 online help. Select F1 on any screen for further details.

Where Does ASPIRE2 Fit in the Customer Life Cycle

Before you can successfully use ASPIRE2 you need to;
• Attend VESDA accredited training in the use of ASPIRE2
• Have a good understanding of the principles of pipe network design
• Have a good understanding of the local codes and standards
• Conduct a site survey to determine the size, scope and obstructions at the customer site
Once you have completed the ASPIRE2 design you will be able to create a bill of materials and
an installation data pack.

Features
• Navigation Tree to browse the whole project rather than a single detector
• Pipe wizards for the simple set up of common pipe designs
• Region specific defaults to suit local pipe specifications
• AutoBalance to automatically set hole sizes
• Introduction of groups for target sensitivity setting
• 3D isometric models to aid design and installation
• Bill of Materials generated for the final pipe network solution
• Installation Data Pack captures the installation information

1
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

ASPIRE2 also has the ability to build your own application defaults which suit;
• customer design specifications,
• local codes and standards, and
• project conditions

What ASPIRE2 Can Do

ASPIRE2 will allow designers to;
• Design systems with multiple aspirated smoke detector units
• Design systems with pipe networks fitted to the sample inlet ports of detectors
• Allow users to design systems where each inlet pipe run contains up to 50 sample holes
(with or without capillaries) and 20 bends
• Design systems containing inlet sample pipe runs with multiple branch points
Remember that while ASPIRE2 can accept very large complex pipe designs, each of the
detectors has a physical limit to the amount of protection they can offer.

What ASPIRE2 Can NOT Do

It will not fix a poor design by re configuring your pipe runs. We trust that you have laid the pipes
in a way to accommodate project requirements. AutoBalance will try different combinations of
hole sizes in the pipe and endcaps. For information on improving the way you configure pipe
runs, see the VESDA Pipe Network Design Guide and attend VESDA accredited training.
ASPIRE2 can check that your design meets your configured set of criteria and defaults but does
not check that these will meet the local codes and standards for the customer site. It is expected
that you, as the designer, will use the correct codes and standards.

1.3 Installing ASPIRE2

Copies of the ASPIRE2 software can be obtained from VFS. The latest copy of the ASPIRE2
software can be downloaded from www.vesda.com.
From time to time the ASPIRE2 range of software is updated with new functions. These
improvements come from the results of extensive laboratory research and as a result of
customer feedback. We highly recommend that you update your copy of ASPIRE2 every six
months. If you have not updated in the last six months please download a copy from
www.vesda.com today.
The instructions for installation are slightly different depending on how you received your copy of
ASPIRE2.
Close all other Windows® programs before installing ASPIRE2 as they may interfere with the
installation process.

System Specification
ASPIRE2 is designed to run on any Windows® operating system which is currently supported by
MicroSoft®.

Install ASPIRE2 from CD:

Insert the CD into the CD ROM drive. Wait 10 seconds, if nothing happens run SETUP.EXE on
the CD.
The Installation splash screen will appear. Click Next> and follow the on-screen messages.

2
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Install ASPIRE2 from a file Downloaded File

Double-click on the downloaded file and the installation files will be decompressed onto your
computer. The installation will automatically start and display the VESDA splash screen, click
Next> and follow the on screen messages.

Registering ASPIRE2
Click on the ASPIRE2 icon on your desktop to open the software. Select Help, Register and the
following dialog will be displayed.

Figure 1 - License Registration Dialog

Select Request License and an email form will be displayed by your web browser.
Enter your details, including your training certificate number and click the 'Send e-mail' button to
send your details for registration. Your request will be processed and an email sent back to you
with the Licence Code. This will normally be done within 48 hours of receiving your email.
You can continue to use ASPIRE2 while waiting for the registration number to arrive.
If you have any difficulties with this process please contact your ASPIRE2 support desk.

Running ASPIRE2
Double-click the ASPIRE2 icon on your desktop, or alternatively, select Start | Programs | Vision
Fire & Security | ASPIRE2.

1.4 Creating a New Project

Each time you start ASPIRE2 it will automatically open a new project. A project can contain all
the detectors, pipes and holes required for a project.
Click on the project icon in the tree view and enter the name of the project.

Add a Detector
To add a detector to your project, right-click the project name in the tree view and select Add
detector. You should give each detector a meaningful name so that when it comes time to install
the detectors the installer will easily be able to determine the detector location. To name each
detector, right-click, select Rename Detector and enter the name for the detector.
When you add extra detectors to a project they will automatically be configured with the default
settings of the prior detector. You can choose to alter these defaults by selecting Tools | System
Defaults.

3
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Add a Note
ASPIRE2 allows you can store information on any element of a design. This information will be
included in the Installation Data Pack which will be printed out and given to the installers, so
please include any details that will assist the engineers to correctly identify and install the
detector.
To add or edit the notes for a detector, right-click and select Edit Notes. Enter the extra
information into the pop up window and select OK to save the details.

Add a Pipe
There are a number of different ways to add pipes to a project. To create the first pipe you can
right-click the detector in the tree view, select Add Pipe and use the Pipe Wizard.
Once the first pipe has been created you can either continue to use the Pipe Wizard or you can
quickly and consistently create duplicates of the pipe using copy and paste. To duplicate an
existing pipe, select the pipe in the tree view, press Ctrl+C. You have now copied all the details
of the pipe. In the tree view, select the detector where you want to copy the pipe, press Ctrl+V.
Remember to name each of the pipes to help the installer install the pipes in the right place. To
name a pipe, right-click on the pipe in the tree view and select Rename Pipe. Enter the pipe
name then press <Enter>. Notes can also be used to record extra information on an pipe. To add
or edit the notes for a pipe, right-click and select Edit Notes. Enter the extra information into the
pop up window and select OK to save the details.
Once the pipe has been added you can modify any aspect of the pipe network to suit your
customer environment. See The Pipe View on page 20 for details.

Adding extra bends

Perform the following steps to insert an extra bend into a pipe.
Select the pipe in the tree view window, select the item where you want the new bend to
be inserted, click the Bend button.

Changing Pipe Direction

You can change the pipe direction by using a branch or an elbow.
Branch: Perform the following steps to change the direction of a pipe branch.
Select the pipe in the tree view window, then select the Direction of the bend. A drop down list of
directions will open and allow you to select from the following directions

Code Direction

U Up

D Down

R Right

F Forward

B Back

LD Left & Down

Table 1 - Changing Bend Direction

4
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Elbow: Perform the following steps to change the direction of a pipe elbow.
Select the pipe in the tree view window, then select the direction of the elbow. A drop down list of
directions will open and allow you to select from the following directions

Code Direction

U Up

D Down

L Left

R Right

F Forward

B Back

Table 2 - Changing Elbow Direction

Modifying Hole Sizes

Perform the following steps to change the size of a hole.
To modify one hole: Select the pipe in the tree view window, then select the piece of pipe that
contains the hole. Select the hole from the Hole Diameter column and a drop down list will offer
all the hole sizes that can be used in this project.
To use a new hole size for just this project: Select Insert | Add a pipe and the pipe wizard
will run. Select any type of pipe, then click Next>. In the Sampling Points section enter the new
hole size for the Hole Diameter. If the size you have entered is not part of the default set of hole
sizes a message box will pop up to let you know, and also let you confirm that this hole size can
now be used for other pipes in this project.
To change the hole size for this set of defaults: To add a new size of hole to the list for this
default, select Tools | System Defaults and enter the new size.

Modifying Pipe Diameter

Reducing the size of a pipe can improve the sensitivity of holes at the end of a pipe network.
To reduce the diameter of the pipe, select the pipe in the tree view window, then select
the piece of pipe where the reducer is to be installed. Select the reducer button, and edit
the pipe diameter size to suit your needs.

Test if it is a good design

As you enter the details for the pipe network it is a good idea to frequently save your results.
Select File | Save, enter the name of the project and press <Enter>.
If you have specifically entered information about the size and distance between holes,
click the calculate button to see if the design meets your design criteria. While
calculating if the design will work, ASPIRE2 will not modify any of your configuration.
If you click the autobalance button, ASPIRE2 will begin automatically modifying your
design in an attempt to optimize the results. There is no undo once this option is run so if
you wish to keep your existing configuration save a copy before you begin.
After Calculating or AutoBalanceing your design ASPIRE2 will indicate if your design will work*.
The numbers are color coded, green is good, red requires further investigation. For further
information on the color coding see The Colors Used by ASPIRE2 on page 11.

5
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

If the design is not accepted, see Resolving Common Site Design Problems on page 7 for
assistance in improving the design.
Note: *Your design will only be as good as the quality of your site survey.

Saving your Results

At any point during design you can choose to save the project file. Select File | Save to save.
Project files can be shared with other people

Generating Reports
A complete set of instruction for the installer can be produced by selecting File | Print IDP. The
Installation Data Pack contains 3D schematics with all the pipe lengths and sizes for the installer
to be able to successfully install the project.
You can generate a BOM (Bill of Materials) by selecting the project and clicking the Bill of
Materials button. The BOM contains a list of the components required to install the
project, individual detectors, and each pipe.

1.5 Creating an Effective Design

While you can put all the site survey information into ASPIRE2 and get an acceptable design,
how can you tell if it is the best design? An effective design requires the designer to have
detailed knowledge about many disciplines. At a minimum you should;
• Have a good understanding of the local codes and standards for the site
• Attend VESDA accredited training
• Study the VESDA Pipe Network Design Guide and applicable Application Design Guides
• Enter into ASPIRE2 the site survey information which has been gathered using the
principles of good design
• Test the results for several different possible designs for the site. This ‘What if...’ testing
process allows you to test the design under different operating conditions, such as with
different hole sizes or with the use of Auto Balance.
Provided you have configured ASPIRE2 with the rules of your local codes and standards, any
‘Green’ design will work. For information on how to configure application defaults see Configure
Your Own Applications and Defaults on page 37.

Advanced Design Using Groups

The concepts and best practices used in this section are for system designers who wish to have
a more detailed technical understanding of the ASPIRE2 software. These features should only
be used after you have attended accredited VESDA training.

6
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The use of groups allows a collection of holes to have the same performance target. In large
sites you may wish to use a standard configuration for ease of installation. In this environment
group the holes which perform a similar task and the AutoBalance will treat them exactly the
same and limit the number of combination it will test.

B Legend
A Normal protection

B Group over air grille

Figure 2 - Grouped Holes

Groups can also be used for a collection of holes that are in a slightly different environment to the
other holes in the pipe network. So, if you have pipes which are protecting a room, and also have
four holes over an air grille, you can group the air grille holes so they are treated consistently.
Groups can be used if you require a different aggregate sensitivity at a return air grille to the
ceiling.
Normally you would treat all holes in a pipe network as a single group. The use of groups allows
you to flexibly assign holes to groups and place different aggregate sensitivity constraints on
each group.

1.6 Resolving Common Site Design Problems

AutoBalance may return a number of concerns about the proposed pipe network design. The
following information explains each of the concerns and provide suggestions on how to resolve
the issue.

The Group Sensitivity Needs to Improve

The aggregate sensitivity of a group of sample holes has dropped below your target sensitivity.
• Check that the target sensitivity is correctly set, it may be that your default settings are set
too high and a lower sensitivity is acceptable.
• Check to see that the sample points outside the group are not extreme and that a relatively
consistent hole size has been used. The group sensitivity may have dropped due to the
sensitivity of other points being too high.
• Check that you have selected the right number and set of sample points.

7
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

The Transport Time Needs to Improve

It will take too long for a smoke sample to travel from the sample point to the detector. Transport
time is the time taken for smoke entering a sample hole to reach the detector. It does not include
the detector alarm delay period, which can be configured for each detector.
• Check that the target transport time is appropriate for this design. Many local codes and
standards require a minimum transport time of 90 seconds. The VESDA default is for
systems typically require the sample within 60 seconds. If your transport time is between 60
and 90 seconds then check to see if the transport time is acceptable to your local codes and
standards.
• VLP and VLS detectors allow you to increase the aspirator speed and hence increase the
speed of air in the pipe network. Select the detector in the tree view, if the aspirator speed is
displayed in the details panel, increase the speed and recalculate the design or use
AutoBalance to see if the transport time is now acceptable.
• Using larger holes in the pipe endcaps will improve the transport time (but may lower the
sample point sensitivity for all holes in the pipe).
• Shortening the length, and increasing the number of pipes covering an area will normally
reduce the transport time.
If the VESDA system has already been installed and you are using ASPIRE2 to troubleshoot you
should also check:
• That the pipe network that has been installed matches the pipe network that has been
designed and tested in ASPIRE2.
• All of the holes have actually been drilled, and are in the right location.
• For breaks or blockages such as excess glue in pipe joints.

The Flow Balance Needs to Improve

Flow Balance is needed because sensitivity varies from one hole to another. If all holes are the
same size, the flow rate through each hole reduces with distance from the detector, many
designs offset this by increasing hole size as distance increases. The balance is defined as a
ratio of flows, the flow with the least flow is compared with that of the largest flow. So a balance of
70% means that every hole has at least 70% as much flow as the best hole.
• Check that the size of the sampling holes used is relatively the same. A small increase in
the size of holes is to be expected as you get further away from the detector. Large
differences in holes size will need to be reviewed to improve the balance.
• Use the AutoBalance functions to determine the appropriate hole size.
• Reduce the size of the endcap hole.
• If the pipe has a collection of sampling points in the pipe and capillaries, remember that the
holes will need to be slightly larger than the hole size used in the pipe.
• You could also try a different pipe configuration (so use a H instead of one long pipe).

The Minimum Hole Flow Needs to Improve

There is not enough air being sampled from some sample holes. ASPIRE2 is warning that the
sensitivity of the hole will be prone to fluctuate as the results of air currents in the protected
environment. Hole Sensitivity is the smoke level required at a particular sample point - assuming
clean air at the others - to produce a fire alarm at the detector. Notice that as this number
increases, the detector requires more smoke - so the system is less sensitive.

8
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

If a hole has low flow you can improve the sensitivity by adjusting that field on the detector view.
• Check the hole sizes being used. Increasing the hole size and re-calculating should resolve
this problem.
• VLP and VLS detectors allow you to increase the aspirator speed and increase the speed
and therefore flow of air in the pipe network. Select the detector in the tree view. If the
aspirator speed is displayed in the details panel increase the speed and recalculate the
design or use AutoBalance to see if the transport time is now acceptable.

The Minimum Hole Pressure Needs to Improve

There is not enough air being sampled from a sample hole(s) due to lack of air pressure. Low
pressure may also make the sample flow vulnerable to cross draughts.
• Check the hole sizes being used. Decreasing the hole size and re-calculating should
resolve this problem.
• VLP and VLS detectors allow you to increase the aspirator speed and increase the speed of
air in the pipe network. Select the detector in the tree view; if the aspirator speed is
displayed in the details panel increase the speed and recalculate the design or use
AutoBalance to see if the minimum hole pressure is now acceptable.
• The pipe may be too long. If the pipe is protecting a room try using a H shaped pipe network
instead.
• There may be too many holes for the type of detector chosen. Either select a more powerful
detector or add another detector to the project.

1.7 The ASPIRE2 Interface

This section contains information about each of the components of the interface and how to work
with them.

9
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

The ASPIRE2 Window

A
B
C

Legend
A Title bar

B Menu bar

C Tool bar button

D Tree view

E Details Pane

Figure 3 - Project screen of Aspire2

Title Bar Shows the software name.
Menu Bar Shows the available menus. See The Menus on page 12 for further information.
Tool Bar Buttons Offers a faster way to perform alterations without having to use the Menus.
Place your cursor over the button for popup information on each button. See The Toolbars
(ShortCut & Palette) on page 13 for further information.
Tree View Shows the current configuration of the proposed project. As you add extra detectors
and pipes this view will change to reflect your changes. See The Tree View on page 11 for further
information.
Details Pane This window presents different sets of options to allow you to configure the pipe
network. For details on the options presented on the first screen see The Detector View on
page 16 for further information.

10
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The Tree View

The Tree View allows you to browse across all of the detectors and pipes that will be used in the
project. Being able to look over all the details that are used in a project site allows you to cut and
paste sections to rapidly and consistently build new sections of a customer site. An example of
what may appear in your Tree View is shown below.

A
Legend
B
A Project
C
B Detector 1

C Detector 2
D
E D Detector 3

E Detector 4

Figure 4 - The Tree View

Project The project has a red cross next to it as one of the pipes for detector 3 is unacceptable.
All detectors and pipes must be within your design criteria for the project to be accepted.
Detector 1 This detector has had some modification to its pipe work and the project has
not been recalculated yet. Select Tools | Calculate or Tools | AutoBalance to see if the
modifications are within your design criteria.
Detector 2 This detector and its pipe network have been tested and found to be
acceptable.
Detector 3 The pipe connected to detector three is outside your design criteria. You need to
investigate, modify the pipe network (or your defaults) and recalculate to clear the cross.
Detector 4 The pipe connected to detector four is acceptable but close to the limit.

Interacting with the ASPIRE2 Interface

There are many ways of performing actions in ASPIRE2, for example if you want to duplicate an
existing pipe on a detector, Select the pipe then;
• click the Copy button, select the pipe in the tree view and click Paste
• press Ctrl+C, then select the detector and press Ctrl+V
• select Edit | Copy, select the pipe, then select Edit | Paste
• right-click on a pipe, then select Copy and Paste.
To keep things simple, this document will only describe one method of performing a
particular action. It is anticipated that you may discover other ways to perform an action that you
may prefer to use.

The Colors Used by ASPIRE2

While working on a site plan you will see that different figures appear in different colors. The
colors are used to let you know if a figure is acceptable, not acceptable, suspect, or not
applicable.
Green The figure is acceptable and within the parameters you have set for the project.
Blue The value is unknown.
Red Indicates that the figure is outside the parameters you have specified for your project.

11
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Amber/Orange This figure is not good or bad. You may be pushing the boundaries of your
project and should proceed with caution.
Black This figure is used to indicate a value setting that does not require validation.

The Menus
Menus can be accessed at the top of the ASPIRE2 screen.

The File Menu

The file menu allows you to create new project files, open existing files, and
save the files you are working on.
The Generate IDP (Installation Data Pack) option provides an easy way to
gather and store all the information that the installers will need to install the
pipework and commission the system.
The Generate BOM (Bill Of Materials) option provides an easy way to create a
list of all the materials required to install your project.
Exit will close ASPIRE2.

The Edit Menu

The copy and paste functions allow you to duplicate any detector or
pipe configuration. The paste insert function allows you to duplicate an
item inside a pipe network (such as a hole or bend). These functions
can help you rapidly and consistently build a complex model by
duplicating sections of an existing design.
The Edit Notes and Rename options allow you to add extra information
to different sections. The name of each section and any notes will be
printed out on the IDP and will assist the person installing the system.
Delete Detector/Pipe/Section lets you remove sections of the project.

The View Menu

The view menu allows you to display or hide the The Shortcut Toolbar
and The Palette Toolbar. Further information on the toolbars can be
found on page 13.
3D View: selecting this option will allow you to see a 3-D view of the
detector and pipework. These models can be used to visualize the pipe
network.
Scan: The VESDA LaserSCANNER model has the ability to test samples from all pipes and then
scan each individual pipe once smoke has been detected. If you have chosen to use a
LaserSCANNER you can use this option to test your pipe network with scanning enabled (ticked)
or disabled (no tick). We recommend that you use the detector in normal mode (no scan) first,
then turn scanning on later. For further information on Scanning detection see the VESDA
LaserSCANNER Product Guide.

The Insert Menu

Adding a detector is one of the first functions you will need to perform
when designing a new site. If multiple detectors are required for a site you
can add further units by selecting this option.

12
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Once you have added a detector you can add pipe runs to suit your site conditions. Selecting
Add Pipe will start the The Pipe Selection Screen of the Pipe Wizard. Further information can be
found on page 25.
For assistance see the Vesda Pipe Network Design Guide and the Creating an efficient design
section of the ASPIRE2 User Guide.

The Tools Menu

Calculate: Once you have made changes to your pipe network you can
recalculate the ASPIRE2 figures by selecting this option.
AutoBalance is one of the main features of ASPIRE2. Once you have
built your basic pipe network design for the site you can use this feature
to automatically set your hole sizes. It will test a range of hole sizes, hole
numbers and end cap sizes then adjust these setting to offer the most
effective solution for this pipe network configuration based on the
application defaults.
Reject Configuration: If you have entered your configuration for the pipe network and then tried
an AutoBalance, this option will allow you to reject the AutoBalance suggestion and return to
original configuration. If you select an AutoBalance and then make any changes to the detectors
or pipes, it is assumed you want to keep the AutoBalance configuration and your original
configuration will be lost.
System Defaults: If you are regularly creating similar types of pipe network designs you can
create a set of defaults so that future designs are created more efficiently, and more consistently.
For further information see The Edit System Default Dialog on page 36.
Language Setting allows you to configure ASPIRE2 to use different languages.
Application defaults allow you to set up default sets for applications that you commonly use. For
further information see Configure Your Own Applications and Defaults on page 37.

The Help Menu

Contents: Selecting the contents option will display the table of contents
for the online help for the ASPIRE2 User Guide.
Help: Displays the first page of the online help system for ASPIRE2.
Contact us: This option displays the current mail, email, and internet
contact details for Vision Fire & Security.
Register: Allows you to register your copy of ASPIRE2. For further
information select this option then select the Help button.
About Aspire2: Displays the version details for the copy of ASPIRE2 that you are currently
running.

The Toolbars (ShortCut & Palette)

There are two tool bars available in ASPIRE2. To enable or disable the tool bars, select the View
Menu and toggle the shortcut or palette toolbar options.

The Shortcut Toolbar

Displays some regularly used features.

Create New Project This button allows you to create an entirely new pipe network
project. Please save your existing work before opening a new project.

13
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Open Existing Project This button allow you to open existing ASPIRE2 configurations.

Save Design This button saves your current project configuration. If you have not
already saved a copy of the file you will be prompted for the location and file name where
the design is to be stored.

Print Design This button allows you to get an Installation Data Pack so that the
installers get all the details of your current pipe network design.

Copy Current Selection The copy and paste buttons allow you to duplicate any
detector, pipe configuration, or section of pipe. This function can help you rapidly and
consistently build a complex model by duplicating sections of an existing design.

Replace an Item in the Design The copy and paste buttons allow you to duplicate any
detector or pipe configuration. This function can help you rapidly and constantly build a
complex model by duplicating sections of an existing design.

Paste Item Before Current Selection This button allows you to paste a copied item
before your selected item in the pipework tab.

Calculate Once you have made changes to your pipe network click this button to
recalculate all of the ASPIRE2 figures based on your current parameters.
AutoBalance If you have entered the details of your proposed design and the calculate
function is returning Amber/Orange or Red results, selecting this button will cause
ASPIRE2 to automatically adjust hole size settings to see if a better configuration is
possible. AutoBalance will test a variety of hole sizes, hole numbers, end cap sizes and
flow rates.

Generate BOM Once you have designed an efficient design you can use this feature to
automatically create the Bill of Materials for the project or detector.

The Palette Toolbar

Allows you to insert different
components into the pipe
network. The components in this toolbar will change to suit different regions.
To insert any element, select the location in the project tree window, then click the component.
Adding bends and other joints that redirect airflow disturb the normal air flow inside the pipe
network. For information on the impact of using different types of joints please see the VESDA
Pipe Network Design Guide.

Add Detector This button allows you to add a detector to your site design.

Add Pipe This button allows you to add extra pipes to a detector in your site design.

Edit Item Note This button allows you to add notes to any element of the pipe network
design. These notes will be included in the IDP (Installation Data Pack) which can be
given to the installers. Use notes to name and help the installers distinguish between
different pipes.

Delete Item This button lets you remove elements from your pipe network design

14
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Add Bend This button lets you add a bend to your pipe network design.

Add Capillary This button lets you add a capillary to your pipe network design.

Add HASP This button lets you add a Heat Activated Sampling Point.

Add Hole This button lets you add a hole to your pipe run.

Add Reducer This button lets you add a pipe reducer to connect different sized pipes.

Add T Piece This button lets you add a T piece to your pipe network design.

Add Y Piece This button lets you add a Y piece to your pipe network design.

Views
The following views are available in ASPIRE2. Some views are only available when a specific
type of object is selected.

The Project View

Figure 5 - Project View

This is the first screen to be displayed when starting a new project. It allows you to record
administrative information about the project.

15
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Project This field stores the name of the project. If you use File | Save As to save a copy of this
project the name in this field will change to reflect your changes. See the See The Edit System
Default Dialog on page 36 for details.
Address The address of the customer site. Enter enough detail for the installer to install the
system in the correct location. If there are multiple buildings or levels within buildings then these
details should also be recorded to reduce the chance of errors occurring.
Pipe type Some designers have asked for a way to group designs into different pipe types to
help them manage the customer sites. America, Europe and Asia/Pacific are listed by default.
See The Edit System Default Dialog on page 36 for details
Contact Enter the contact details of the customer who will make the final decisions on the fire
systems to be installed.
Date By default this field records the date when the project was first started.
Installer Allows you to record who will be installing the system.
Calculated By Allows you to record your name so that if people look at the project information at
a later date and have any questions they will be able to contact you. You can use this field to also
record your phone or email address to make it easier for the installers to contact you.
Units Show if you are currently using US imperial or Metric units of measurements. See The Edit
System Default Dialog on page 36 for details.
Altitude The altitude above sea level affects the air pressure in the detector view. Thinner air at
higher altitudes will increase the time it takes to get a smoke sample to the detector. (transport
time).

The Detector View

The Detector view displays all the information about the detector selected in the tree view.

E
D

A B C

Legend
A Detector selected B List of available detectors

C Aspirator speed D Operating environment

E Endcap usage F Detector details

Figure 6 - Detector View

16
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The General Tab of the Detector View

Detector Type
This list allows you to select the type of detector for your customer site.
As new detector models become available you will be able to select them from this list. If you are
looking for a particular model and it is not listed, please update your copy of ASPIRE2 to the
latest version.
Detector Name
This field allows you to name each of the detectors in your configuration. So if you customer site
requires pipe networks for an office, atrium, and warehouse you can label each of them to avoid
confusion.
Aspirator Speed
Some detector models (such as the LaserPLUS and LaserSCANNER) allow you to adjust the
aspirator speed. Increasing the aspirator speed will normally reduce the transport time for smoke
samples reaching the detector.
Endcap Usage
Endcap usage determines how you wish to use end caps.
• Create a balanced design: This increases the sensitivity of detection for each hole as air
can only come into the pipe network through sample holes. By default 2mm holes are used.
• Use endcaps to reduce transport time: This option uses holes in the endcaps to allow more
air into the pipe network and improve the transport time by moving samples to the detector
faster. By default 4mm holes will be used.
Application
If you find that you are regularly creating a similar type of site from the factory defaults, you
should consider creating your own sets of defaults to allow you to design customer sites more
consistently and faster. This drop down box allows you to select to use any sets of defaults that
you have created. For information on creating your own personalized set of application defaults
for each detector please see The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30.
Operating Environment
See The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30 for instructions on how to
change the default settings for these options.
Fire Threshold The amount of smoke required at the detector to activate the fire alarm (Fire 1)
Temperature The expected average temperature at the detector. Temperature affects the
viscosity and density of air, hotter air travels faster. Enter an estimate of what the expected
average temperature will be.
Absolute Pressure The expected average air pressure at the detector. Air pressure affects the
transport time. If you have correctly entered the altitude of the customer site you will not normally
need to adjust the absolute pressure.
System Flowrate The amount of air collected by the detector per minute
Manifold Pressure The amount of suction (Pa) in the detector manifold
Total Pipe Length This is the total length of all pipes connected to the detector. If this number is
red you will need to decrease the size of the pipe network for the detector to work effectively.
Alternatively, you can select a different Detector Type as another model may be able to support
your proposed pipe network.
Number of sample points All detector types have an upper limit on the number of sample
points that can be effectively used. Having too many sample points connected to a detector will
reduce the sucking pressure to an unacceptable lower limit that may compromise detection.

17
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Maximum Transport Time This is the maximum acceptable amount of time for a smoke sample
to travel from a sample hole to the detector.
Minimum Hole Flow Rate This is the minimum acceptable amount of air to be sampled by each
hole per minute.
The Pipe Summary Tab of the Detector View
The pipe summary tab displays how the current pipe configuration compares to your default
parameters.

Figure 7 - Pipe Summary Tab

This tab gives a summary of the pipe network connected to the detector. As extra pipes are
added you will need to select calculate or auto-balance to update these details. Some figures,
such as the distance between holes, may vary. When this occurs the word Varies will be
displayed instead of a figure. Select the pipe in the tree view to see the details.
Pipe Length The total length of pipe connected to the detector.
First Position The distance from the detector to the first hole.
Number of Sample Points Total number of sample holes for the pipe.
Hole Spacing Average distance between holes.
Pipe Internal Diameter The ID (Internal Diameter) of the pipe.
Capillary Internal Diameter The ID (Internal Diameter) of any capillaries.
End Vent Diameter The size of the hole in the endcap.
Maximum Transport Time The maximum calculated transport time for an air sample to travel
from a sample point to the detector.
Ambient Pressure The relative difference in suction pressure between the location of the
sample point and the location of the detector exhaust. If the detector exhausts air back into the
same area that it was sampled from, the ambient pressure should be set to zero (0).
Sector Pressure The suction pressure for each pipe at the detector.
Sector Flow The amount of air collected by each pipe.

18
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The Group Details Tab of the Detector View

The Group Details tab displays how the current configuration is grouped.

Figure 8 - Group Details

Target Aggregate Sensitivity Max. The upper limit of smoke detection for the group of holes.
Target Aggregate Sensitivity Min. The lower limit of smoke detection for the group of holes.
Target Hole Sensitivity Max. The upper limit of smoke detection for holes in the group.
Target Suction Pressure Min. The lower limit of suction pressure for holes in the group.
Target Balance Min. The least acceptable balance for the group of holes.
Exclude from AutoBalance The option allows you to protect your settings from being altered
when the AutoBalance function is run.
Pipe/Section The details for each section of pipe in the pipe network. Click the radio button for
each hole to collect them into groups. Holes can be moved from one group to another by
selecting the radio button in the other group.
Aggregate Sensitivity Aspirating Smoke Detectors have a unique feature that allows the
detector to collect small samples of smoke from many different sample points and check to see if
the total of the smoke exceeds the smoke threshold. If two traditional point detectors (which do
not use aspirating smoke detection) are exposed to a small amount of smoke - say one detector
receives 48% of its threshold, the other 52%, there is no way they can combine this information.
But an aspirated detector can aggregate smoke received through several holes. Aggregate
Sensitivity is defined for a group of holes. It is the uniform smoke level required at each hole
(with clean air at all others outside the group) to produce a fire alarm at the detector. For
example, if you are using two pipes to protect a room, and a third pipe to cover a return air grill,
you might assign all holes in the first two pipes to the “room” group, and the remainder to “air
grille” group. Then you can ask ASPIRE2 to determine what is the aggregate sensitivity of the
room, and also for the figure for the air grille.

19
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Balance The lower limit of balance expected for the group of holes. This value is usually left
fairly close to 100 because the holes in the group should have similar characteristics. For further
information see The Flow Balance Needs to Improve on page 8.
Suction Pressure (least) The lower limit of suction (Pa) for the sample hole.
Add Allows you to add a group of holes. For further information see The Group Tab of the Edit
ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 31.
Delete Allows you to ungroup the holes. For further information see The Group Tab of the Edit
ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 31.
Rename Allows you to rename a group. When there are multiple groups being installed it is
important to give each a descriptive name. Failure to allocate names can lead to the installers
becoming confused. This confusion can lead to installation delays, or incorrect installation of the
detectors. For further information see The Group Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on
page 31.
Notes You can attach notes to detectors and pipes. This information will be included in the
Installation Data Pack which will be printed out and given to the installers, so please include any
details that will assist the engineers to correctly identify and install the detector.
To add or edit the notes for a detector or a pipe, right-click and select Edit Notes. Enter the extra
information into the pop up window and select OK to save the details.

The Pipe View

Selecting any pipe, or section of pipe, in the project tree will display the details.

Figure 9 - Pipe View

This panel displays all the calculated pipe details. Figures displayed in gray are your calculated
values. If the calculated figures do not match your design criteria either select the detector and
choose a different set of application defaults, or change your application defaults. For further
details see either The General Tab of the Detector View on page 17 or The Detector Tab of the
Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30.
The top of the panel has a summary of all the pipe sections that are in this part of the pipe
network. The bottom of the panel shows the details for each section.
Summary Information
Total Pipe Length The total length of all sections of pipe.
Sector Pressure The expected suction (Pa) expected in this section of the pipe.
Pipe Flowrate The amount of air expected to be sampled by this section of the pipe (liters per
minute).
Ambient Pressure The difference in pressure between this section of the pipe and the detector.
Number of Sample Points The total number of sample points in this section of the pipe.

20
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Hole Diameter This option allows you to change all hole sizes for this section of the pipe
network. (Holes can be adjusted manually in the table).
Capillary Diameter This option allows you to change the width of a capillary.
Capillary Length This option allows you to change the length of capillary.
Sector Factor This option is only required for VESDA LaserSCANNER detectors. Sector factor
allows you to set different alarm thresholds for each of the four sectors. The sector factor can be
set from 0.5 to 2.0
Detailed Information
Item The name of each section of pipe.
Type Type of each item of pipe. You can change holes for capillaries, and bends for joints by
right clicking on the component that you wish to change and select another component from the
drop down list.
Direction Indicates the direction that a bend or elbow will take. For further information on the
different directions see the pop-ups by placing your mouse pointer over any item in the list.
Absolute Distance Distance from the start of the pipe (detector).
Relative Distance Distance relative to the prior item in the list.
Hole Diameter This changes the size of all sampling holes for this section of pipe. If you have a
variety of hole sizes you can set Hole Diameter to the most common size, then manually edit the
other hole sizes.
Capillary Length This changes the length of capillaries for this section of pipe. If you have a
variety of lengths you can set Capillary Length to the most common size, then manually edit the
length of the other.
Transport Time The time it will take for an air sample to move from the sample point to the
detector.
Pressure The suction pressure at the sample point. This should be at least 25 Pascals. Cross
drafts in the sampling area may require more suction pressure.
Flow The amount of airflow from the sample point.
Flow% The percentage of air flow that will come from the sample point.
Hole Sensitivity The relative sensitivity for the sample point. Higher numbers indicate less
sensitivity.
Pipe Diameter ID (Internal Diameter) of sampling pipe.
Capillary Diameter ID (Internal Diameter) of the capillary. Editing this will change the ID for all
capillaries in this section of pipework. If you have a variety of IDs you can set Capillary Diameter
to the most common size, then manually edit the ID of the other capillaries.

21
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

The 3D View
Select View | 3D View to display this view.

Figure 10 - 3D View
This view allows you to see a 3D representation of the pipe network that you have constructed.
You can view the pipe network from any of the fixed positions (isometric shown above) or use
your mouse to rotate the entire network in any direction you choose.
Copies of the views can be included in the IDP (Installation Data Pack) which is given to
installers.
The colors used are the same as the pipe view, green is good, red requires further investigation.
For further information on the color coding see The Colors Used by ASPIRE2 on page 11.

IDP (Installation Data Pack)

Select File | Generate IDP to see the Installation Data Pack for your site.
Once you have finished designing your site, the IDP contains all the site specific information that
the installer needs to know to correctly install your design. This information includes project level
information, drawings, pipe network specifications, and all the notes you have added to your
design.
IDP Project
The first section of information is specifically related to
the project. This section of the IDP includes the Altitude
above sea level, the date the IDP was printed, and the
units of measure to be used by the project.

IDP Detector
The second section contains information about the
type and configuration of each of the detectors that
will be used on the site. The detector section also
contains a summary of the pipe networks that will be
connected to each detector.

22
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

IDP 3D Diagrams
The third section contains 3D schematic diagrams for each pipe
leading away from the detector. The inclusion of 3D diagrams is
optional (but recommended) in the IDP.
Note: Color coding is used in these diagrams. If there are
any red sections of pipe, it indicates that the current
configuration will not meet your design criteria and
further investigation is required before you can send
the IDP to the installer.
IDP Pipe Summary
The next section of the IDP contains a summary of the
parameters for each pipe. The figures listed in this section may
also be used by the person commissioning the VESDA system
to determine the expected air pressure in each pipe.
IDP Pipe Section
Finally, the IDP contains a section which gives the installer
detailed information on the configurations required for this section of the pipe network.
Details such as the expected pressure for each hole can be used by the person commissioning
the system to check that the installed pipe network matches your design created in ASPIRE2.

Figure 11 - IDP - Pipe Section Information

23
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

BOM (Bill Of Materials)

A Bill Of Materials can be generated for a
single detector or for all detectors in a project.
Select a detector or the project, then select
File | Generate BOM to see a list of all the
parts required for each detector in your
project.
Bill Of Materials
The first section of this report lists all the
project details.
Detector
This section of the report lists all the part
numbers required to order the parts for each
detector.
Project Totals
This section of the report is a summary of all
the parts required for the entire project.

1.8 The Pipe Wizard

The Pipe Wizard automates the addition of
new pipes to a detector. It will lead you
through all of the steps required to configure a
pipe. To access the wizard select a detector,
then select Insert | Add Pipe. Once the pipe
wizard has finished you can view the details of any pipe by selecting it in the tree view.
The pipe wizard knows the maximum allowable parameters for each type of detector. The wizard
will recommend that you use a more appropriate detector if you attempt to configure a pipe
network which is beyond the recommended capabilities for the type of detector you have chosen.
If you must use that type of detector you should review your pipe runs on the floor plan and
modify your pipe network to a better design.

24
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The Pipe Selection Screen of the Pipe Wizard

Figure 12 - Pipe Wizard

Enter a name and select which type of pipe is to be added to the detector.
Simple pipes may have many bends but does not branch into more than one pipe.
Simple branch pipes are used to fill in a section of a room which is not covered by other pipe
work.
H configuration pipes are recommended for small, square rooms as it has naturally good balance
and uses less pipe than if a single pipe was used.
Multiple Branch pipes are used in large rooms or rooms with odd shapes.
Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.
Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

Simple Pipe Wizard

To access the pipe wizard select a detector, then select Insert | Add Pipe.

Figure 13 - Simple Pipe Wizard

The default configuration settings can be modified by Tools | Application defaults | Simple Pipe
Wizard. These settings allows you to configure a pipe which may have bends but does not split
into more than one pipe.
Total Pipe Length Enter the length of the pipe.
Number of bends before the first hole Enter the number of bends before the pipe network
reaches the first sample hole.

25
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

First Hole Position Set the distance to the first sample hole in the pipe.
Hole Separator Set the distance between sample holes in the pipe. If you are using a variety of
different distances between holes, enter the most common distance here and manually edit the
distances when the wizard has finished.
Total Pipe Length Enter the length of pipe required.
Back < Returns you to the prior screen of the wizard.
Next > Moves you on to the next screen in the wizard.
Finish Selecting this button will cause the wizard to automatically accept the default values for
any wizard options which you have not already set.
Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.
Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

Branched Pipe Wizard

To access the pipe wizard select a detector, then select Insert | Add Pipe.

C Legend
A Section 1

B Section 2
A C Section 3

Figure 14 - Branched Pipe Wizard

These settings can be modified by Tools | Application defaults | T Configuration.
These settings allow you to configure your branched pipe produced by the wizard.
Number of bends before the first branch Enter the number of bends before the pipework will
start branching.
First Hole Position Set the distance to the first sample hole in the pipe.
Hole Separator Set the distance between sample holes in the pipe.
Section Length 1 Set the length of the first piece of pipe. (A)
Section Length 2 Set the length of the second pieces of pipe. (B)
Section Length 3 Set the length of the third pieces of pipe. (C)
Total Pipe Length The length of all the parts of pipe.
Back < Returns you to the prior screen of the wizard.
Next > Moves you on to the next screen in the wizard.
Finish Selecting this button will cause the wizard to automatically accept the default values for
any wizard options which you have not already set.

26
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.

Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

The H Configuration Pipe Wizard

To access the pipe wizard select a detector, then select Insert | Add Pipe.

C
Legend
A Section 1

B Section 2

C Section 3

Figure 15 - H Pipe Wizard

This kind of pipe network can provide well balanced sampling for small, square rooms.
These settings can be modified by Tools | Application defaults | H Configuration.
These settings allows you to configure a H branched pipe (also called a small multiple branch).
Number of bends before the first branch Enter the number of bends before the pipework will
start branching.
First Hole Position Set the distance to the first sample hole in the pipe.
Hole Separator Set the distance between sample holes in the pipe.
Section Length 1 Set the length of the first piece of pipe. (A)
Section Length 2 Set the length of the second pieces of pipe. (B)
Section Length 3 Set the length of the third pieces of pipe. (C)
End caps only Have 4 sample points, one in each end cap.
8 Holes This will normally be a hole in each Section length 3 pipe, and a second sample hole in
the end cap.
Total Pipe Length The combined length of all sections of pipe.
Back < Returns you to the prior screen of the wizard.
Next > Moves you on to the next screen in the wizard.
Finish Selecting this button will cause the wizard to automatically accept the default values for
any wizard options which you have not already set.
Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.
Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

27
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

The Multiple Branch Pipe Wizard

To access the pipe wizard select a detector, then select Insert | Add Pipe.

D
E Legend
A Section 1

C B Section 2

C Section 3
A
D Section 4

E Section 5

Figure 16 - Mulitbranch “Moose Head” Pipe Wizard

These settings can be modified by Tools | Application defaults | Multiple Branch. These settings
allows you to configure the defaults used by the add a pipe wizard when you add a Multiple
branched pipe.
These settings allows you to configure a multiple branch pipe (also called a ‘moose head’ pipe).
Number of bends before the first branch Enter the number of bends before the pipework will
start branching.
First Hole Position Set the distance to the first sample hole in the pipe.
Hole Separation Set the distance between sample holes in the pipe.
Section Length 1 Set the length of the first piece of pipe. (A)
Section Length 2 Set the length of the second pieces of pipe. (B)
Section Length 3 Set the length of the third pieces of pipe. (C)
Section Length 4 Set the length of the forth pieces of pipe. (D)
Section Length 5 Set the length of the fifth pieces of pipe. (E)
Total Pipe Length The combined length of all sections of pipe.
Back < Returns you to the prior screen of the wizard.
Next > Moves you on to the next screen in the wizard.
Finish Selecting this button will cause the wizard to automatically accept the default values for
any wizard options which you have not already set.
Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.
Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

28
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Pipe Wizard Pipe Properties

Figure 17 - Pipe Wizard Details Screen

If you wish to use a variety of different size hole diameters then enter the most common size in
the wizard and once the wizard is finished you will need to manually edit the sizes. To edit the
sizes, select the section of pipe in the tree view, click on Pipe Summary and edit the sizes.
Pipe Configuration
Pipe Diameter Enter the ID (Internal diameter) of the pipe network.
Capillary
Use Capillaries This check box allows you to choose to use capillaries.
Capillary Diameter If you choose to use capillaries, enter the internal diameter of the capillaries.
Capillary Length If you choose to use capillaries, enter their length.
Sampling Points
Hole Diameter The standard size of holes in the pipe network. You can manually change the
size of individual holes once the wizard has finished.
EndCap Diameter The standard size of endcap holes in the pipe network. You can manually
change the size of individual holes once the wizard has finished.
Environment
Ambient air pressure is any difference in air pressure that occurs between the sample holes and
the detector. If the pipe samples air from an area that has a higher or lower air pressure than the
detector it will affect the flow rate, transport time and other variables in your design. Differences
in air pressure can be caused by fan forced air being pumped into an area such as a computer
room, cabinets that need to be air cooled, and some high security environments.

29
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Generally, if there are no air tight doors in a building this figure should be zero (0). If Air tight
doors are fitted ask the building management for access to the air conditioning specifications as
it should show any differences in pressure.
In computer rooms or other mechanically ventilated areas, it is possible for individual pipes to be
located in areas where the ambient atmospheric pressure is higher (+ve ambient) or lower (-ve
ambient) than the pressure that the detector is located in. The ambient pressure differential
relevant to each pipe can be entered. It is not usual for pressure differentials to exceed 25
Pascals (Pa). At this pressure, doors become difficult either to open or to close, or loose ceiling
tiles may lift. An aspirator exhaust pipe may be fitted to relieve pressure or noise.
Ambient Pressure Enter the pressure differential between the pipe network and the detector.
This will be zero unless there are air-tight areas between the pipe network and detector.
Back < Returns you to the prior screen of the wizard.
Next > Moves you on to the next screen in the wizard.
Finish Selecting this button will cause the wizard to automatically accept the default values for
any wizard options which you have not already set.
Cancel Closes the wizard without saving the details.
Help Opens the online help page for this tab.

The Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

If you find that you are regularly creating a similar type of site from the factory defaults, you
should consider creating your own set of application specific defaults to allow you to design
customer sites faster and more consistently.
To create a new set of application defaults, open a project. Select Tools | Application Defaults,
select a tab and edit the defaults. When you have finished editing all the desired default figures,
click Save and enter the name that you wish to call this new set of defaults.
You have now created a new set of application defaults. To start using them, close the current
project and select File | New. Select your set of application defaults from the Applications drop
down list and you are ready to start.

The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | Detector

Figure 18 - The detector tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

30
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

You can configure how the same detector will operate in different application environments. To
edit these options open ASPIRE2, select Tools | Application Defaults | Detector, edit the figures
and click save. If you wish to create a new set of application defaults then enter the name of the
new application after clicking save.
Threshold levels are dependent on the local codes and authorities as well as the customer site
requirements. Thresholds may need to be altered once the results of the commissioning smoke
tests have been analyses.
Absolute Pressure The expected air pressure for the customer site. The default is 1013 hPa
which is the air pressure at sea level. You will only need to adjust the pressure if the detector is
being installed at high altitudes.
Max Transport Time The upper allowable limit of time that it can take to move a smoke sample
from a sample hole to the detector.
Min Hole Flow Rate The lower allowable limit of airflow from the pipe network.
Temperature This is the expected average temperature where the detector and the pipe network
will operate. Temperature affects the density and viscosity of air, the hotter the air the shorter the
transport time. As an example; VLP transport time for a single one hundred metre pipe run.

Temperature -20 C +20 C +60 C

Transport Time 89 Seconds 81 Seconds 76 Seconds

Note: For information about minimum or maximum operating environments for each
detector please see the VESDA Pipe Network Design Guide or refer to the manual
for that detector. Transport times are also dependent on hole sizes.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help Displays the online help.

The Group Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | Group.

Figure 19 - The group tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

The use of groups is an advanced design topic that should only be used if you have received
accredited VESDA training.
Target Endcap Sensitivity Factor< The minimum sensitivity for an endcap.

31
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Total Balance > The lower limit of acceptable sample hole balance.
Total Hole Sensitivity < The lower limit of acceptable hole sensitivity.
Target Suction Pressure > The lowest level of acceptable suction pressure for any sample
point in the group.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

The Pipe Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | Pipe

Figure 20 - The Pipe tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

When you run the pipe wizard you will be able to change any of the default values entered below.
Ambient Pressure The default pressure differential between the pipe network and the detector.
This will be zero unless there are air-tight areas between the pipe network and detector.
Total Pipe Length The default length of the pipe.
Pipe Diameter The default ID (internal Diameter) of the pipe.
Hole Diameter The size of sample points in the pipe.
Capillary Diameter The diameter of capillaries connected to the pipe.
Capillary Length The length of capillary.
End Cap Diameter The diameter of the vent in the endcap.
Note: These are only default sizes, you will be able to change these figures when you run
the pipe network wizard, and in the project pipe view.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

32
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The Simple Pipe Wizard Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog
To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | Simple Pipe Wizard

Figure 21 - The Simple Pipe Wizard of the ASPIRE2 defaults

This dialog lets you configure the default settings for the T pipe wizard. For further details see
Simple Pipe Wizard on page 25.
Number of bends before the first hole The default number of bends before the first hole in the
pipe.
First Hole Position The distance of the first hole from the start of the pipe network.
Hole Separation The default distance between holes.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

The T Configuration Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | T Configuration

Figure 22 - The T Configuration tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

This dialog lets you configure the default settings for the T pipe wizard. For further details see
Branched Pipe Wizard on page 26.

33
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Number of bends before the first branch The default number of bends before the first branch
in the pipe.
First Hole Position The distance of the first hole from the start of the pipe network.
Hole Separation The default distance between holes.
Section 3 Length The length of the first section of pipe.
Section 2 Length The length of the second section of pipe.
Section Length The length of the third section of pipe.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

The H Configuration Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | H Configuration

Figure 23 - The H Configuration tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

This dialog lets you configure the default settings for the T pipe wizard. For further details see
The H Configuration Pipe Wizard on page 27.
Number of bends before the first branch The default number of bends before the first branch
in the pipe
First Hole Position The distance of the first hole from the start of the pipe network.
Section 3 Length The length of the first section of pipe.
Section 2 Length The length of the second sections of pipe.
Section Length The length of the third sections of pipe.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

34
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

The Multiple Branch Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Application Defaults | Multiple Branch

Figure 24 - The Multiple Branch Configuration tab of the ASPIRE2 defaults

This dialog lets you configure the default settings for the T pipe wizard. For further details see
The Multiple Branch Pipe Wizard on page 28.
Number of bends before the first branch The default number of bends before the first branch
in the pipe
First Hole Position The distance of the first hole from the start of the pipe network.
Hole Separation The default distance between holes.
Section 5 Length The length of the first section of pipe.
Section 4 Length The length of the second sections of pipe.
Section 3 Length The length of the third sections of pipe.
Section 2 Length The length of the forth sections of pipe
Section Length The length of the fifth sections of pipe.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

35
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

The Edit System Default Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | System Defaults

Figure 25 - Systems Defaults

This dialog allows you to configure the following option for all projects.
Pipe type Allows you to change the default pipe type of the project. Different regions have
different part numbers for pipe network components. The Bill of Materials (BOM) which can be
automatically produced for your customer site will use the Pipe Type setting to determine which
part numbers to specify.
Units Allows you to toggle the interface between US and Metric measurements. To change the
units being used, open ASPIRE2 and select Tools | System defaults, toggle the Units drop down
list, then click Save. The changes will take effect when you start a new project.
Application Allows you to store collections of application defaults under a single name. This
should be used if you are regularly producing designs for a similar type of environment.
Altitude The altitude above sea level affects the air pressure in the detector view. Thinner air at
higher altitudes will increase the time it takes to get a smoke sample to the detector. (transport
time).
Allowable Hole Sizes Allows you to enter the list of acceptable hole sizes for your project.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

The Language Setting Dialog

To access this tab, select Tools | Language Setting

Figure 26 - Language Defaults

36
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

Selecting Tools | Language will allow you to change the language used by the ASPIRE2
interface.
The most up-to-date list of supported languages can be found by following the instructions listed
below.
To change languages, open ASPIRE2, select Tools | Language Setting, then choose the new
language and click the save button.
Close Closes the tab without saving any changes.
Save Saves any changes you have made and closes the tab.
Help displays the online help.

1.9 Configure Your Own Applications and Defaults

The factory default settings used when you first start the software are designed to meet VESDA’s
own standards. These standards are typically more demanding than many local codes and
standards. You will need to check and configure the default values to suit the local codes and
standards before designing the customer site.
You will also want to configure the default settings to suit your installer and application
requirements. Once these are configured you can be confident that the software will accurately
accept designs which meet the specific requirements of your customer site.

Changing the Defaults to Comply with Local Codes and Standards

The default criteria of ASPIRE2 may not meet the parameters required by your local fire codes
and standards. Before you start building pipe network designs for customers you must check
that the settings will be suitable for the customer environment. Failure to do so may result in
ASPIRE2 ‘approving’ a design, and producing a bill of materials, which fails to meet local codes
and standards.
See The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30 for instructions on how to
change the default criteria.

Changing the Defaults to Suit Your Installer

If your installation crews are limited to using drill pieces of certain sizes then edit the defaults so
that ASPIRE2 will only offer you solutions which comply with these restrictions. See The Detector
Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30 for instructions on how to change the default
application configurations.

Creating Custom Applications

If you are regularly designing a particular type of building, say a warehouse, you may wish to set
up a your own set of defaults to suit this environment. To configure a set of application specific
defaults see The Detector Tab of the Edit ASPIRE2 Default Dialog on page 30.

Copying or Distributing Defaults

Once you have created a set of defaults for a specific environment you can save and send them
to other people, to ensure that everyone in your organization is using the same set of defaults.

37
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide

To distribute your set of defaults, copy the default file you have created in one of the following
directories and email it as required.
C:\Program Files\Vision Fire and Security\ASPIRE2\regions\America
C:\Program Files\Vision Fire and Security\ASPIRE2\regions\asiaPac
C:\Program Files\Vision Fire and Security\ASPIRE2\regions\Europe
The path and folders listed above will be correct if you have installed to the default location
recommended by the ASPIRE2 installation software. If you chose to install the software into
another directory then you should look there for your default files.

38
VESDA® ASPIRE2 User Guide
Index

Numerics Flow Balance ......................................... 8

3D View .............................................. 22 G

A General Tab ........................................ 17

Green ................................................. 11

Allowable............................................ 36 Group Details Tab ................................ 19

Altitude .............................................. 36 Group Sensitivity ................................... 7

Amber/Orange ..................................... 12 Group Tab ........................................... 31

Applications defaults ........................... 37 Groups ................................................. 6

B H

Balance ................................................ 8 H Configuration Tab ............................. 34

Bill Of Material (BOM) ........................... 24 Help Menu ........................................... 13
Black ................................................. 12
BOM................................................... 24 I

C Insert Menu ......................................... 12

Instal .................................................... 2

Colors ................................................
11 Interface ............................................... 9

Conventions .......................................... ii
L
D
Language ............................................
36
Default ...............................................
30 Local Codes and Standards .................. 37

Detector Tab ....................................... 30

Detector View ...................................... 16 M

E Menus ................................................
12
Minimum Hole Flow ................................ 8

Edit Menu ...........................................12 Minimum Hole Pressure .......................... 9

Edit System Default ............................. 36 Multiple Branch Tab ............................. 35

Effective Design .................................... 6

P
F
Palette Toolbar .................................... 14
Features ...............................................1 Paste Insert ......................................... 12

File Menu ............................................ 12 Pipe Summary Tab ............................... 18

39
ASPIRE2 User Guide VESDA®

Pipe Tab ............................................. 32 Shortcut Toolbar ..................................

13
Pipe type ............................................ 36 Simple Pipe Wizard Tab ........................ 33
Pipe View............................................ 20 System Specification .............................. 2
Pipe Wizard......................................... 24
Problems .............................................. 7 T
Project View ........................................ 15
T Configuration Tab ............................. 33
R Toolbars ............................................. 13
Tools Menu ......................................... 13
Red ....................................................
11 Transport Time ...................................... 8
Registering ASPIRE2 ............................. 3 Tree View ............................................ 11
Running ASPIRE2 .................................. 3
V
S
View Menu .......................................... 12
Sensitivity............................................. 8 Views ................................................. 15

40