Unlike other cables, fire resistant cables need to work even when instantly uncovered to the fire to keep important Life Safety and Fire Fighting tools working: Fire alarms, Emergency Lighting, Emergency Communication, Fire Sprinkler pumps, Fireman’s Lift sub-main, Smoke extraction followers, Smoke dampers, Stair pressurization fans, Emergency Generator circuits etc.
In order to classify electrical cables as fireplace resistant they’re required to undergo testing and certification. Perhaps the primary frequent fire tests on cables had been IEC 331: 1970 and later BS6387:1983 which adopted a gas ribbon burner check to provide a flame by which cables were positioned.
Since the revision of BS6387 in 1994 there have been 11 enhancements, revisions or new check standards introduced by British Standards to be used and utility of Fire Resistant cables but none of these seem to deal with the core problem that fireside resistant cables the place tested to widespread British and IEC flame test requirements usually are not required to perform to the same fire efficiency time-temperature profiles as each other construction, system or element in a building. Specifically, where fireplace resistant structures, systems, partitions, fire doorways, hearth penetrations fire barriers, flooring, walls and so forth. are required to be hearth rated by constructing regulations, they’re tested to the Standard Time Temperature protocol of BS476 components 20 to 23 (also generally known as ISO834-1, ASNZS1530pt4, EN1363-1 and in America and Canada ASTM E119-75).
These tests are conducted in massive furnaces to duplicate actual submit flashover fireplace environments. Interestingly, ที่วัดแรงดัน take a look at standards like BS 6387CWZ, SS299, IEC 60331 BS8343-1 and a pair of, BS8491 only require cables to be exposed to a flame in air and to lower last take a look at temperatures (than required by BS476 pts 20 to 23). Given Fire Resistant cables are prone to be exposed in the identical fireplace, and are wanted to make sure all Life Safety and Fire Fighting techniques remain operational, this truth is perhaps shocking.
Contrastingly in Germany, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada Fire Resistant cable methods are required to be examined to the identical hearth Time Temperature protocol as all different constructing parts and that is the Standard Time Temperature protocol to BS476pts 20-23, IS0 834-1, EN1363-1 or ASTM E119-75 in USA.
The committees growing the usual drew on the guidance given from the International Fire Prevention Congress held in London in July 1903 and the measurements of furnace temperatures made in many hearth tests carried out within the UK, Germany and the United States. The exams have been described in a sequence of “Red Books” issued by the British Fire Prevention Committee after 1903 as nicely as these from the German Royal Technical Research Laboratory. The finalization of the ASTM commonplace was closely influenced by Professor I.H. Woolson, a Consulting Engineer of the USA National Board of Fire Underwriters and Chairman of the NFPA committee in Fire Resistive Construction who had carried out many exams at Columbia University and Underwriters Laboratories in Chicago. The small time temperature differences between the International ISO 834-1 test as we know it right now and the America ASTM E119 / NFPA 251 checks probably stemmed from this time.
Image courtesy of MICC Ltd.
The curve as we see it today (see graph above) has become the usual scale for measurement of fire take a look at severity and has proved related for many above ground cellulosic buildings. When elements, buildings, parts or systems are examined, the furnace temperatures are controlled to evolve to the curve with a set allowable variance and consideration for initial ambient temperatures. The standards require parts to be examined in full scale and underneath conditions of help and loading as outlined so as to characterize as precisely as possible its features in service.
This Standard Time Temperature testing protocol (see graph right) is adopted by nearly all nations around the world for fire testing and certification of virtually all constructing constructions, parts, methods and elements with the attention-grabbing exception of fireplace resistant cables (exception in USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Belgium and New Zealand the place fire resistant cable methods are required to be tested and approved to the Standard Time Temperature protocol, identical to all other building constructions, elements and components).
It is important to know that application requirements from BS, IEC, ASNZS, DIN, UL and so forth. where fireplace resistive cables are specified to be used, are solely ‘minimum’ necessities. We know today that fires aren’t all the same and analysis by Universities, Institutions and Authorities all over the world have recognized that Underground and some Industrial environments can exhibit very totally different fire profiles to those in above ground cellulosic buildings. Specifically in confined underground public areas like Road and Rail Tunnels, Underground Shopping facilities, Car Parks hearth temperatures can exhibit a very quick rise time and can reach temperatures nicely above those in above floor buildings and in far much less time. In USA at present electrical wiring systems are required by NFPA 502 (Road Tunnels, Bridges and different Limited Access Highways) to face up to fire temperatures as a lot as 1,350 Degrees C for 60 minutes and UK British Standard BS8519:2010 clearly identifies underground public areas similar to automobile parks as “Areas of Special Risk” where more stringent check protocols for important electrical cable circuits could must be thought of by designers.
Standard Time Temperature curves (Europe and America) plotted in opposition to widespread BS and IEC cable exams.
Of course all underground environments whether or not highway, rail and pedestrian tunnels, or underground public environments like buying precincts, automobile parks etc. may exhibit totally different fireplace profiles to those in above ground buildings as a end result of In these environments the heat generated by any hearth cannot escape as easily as it’d in above ground buildings thus relying more on heat and smoke extraction gear.
For Metros Road and Rail Tunnels, Hospitals, Health care facilities, Underground public environments like buying precincts, Very High Rise, Theaters, Public Halls, Government buildings, Airports etc. this is particularly necessary. Evacuation of these public environments is often sluggish even throughout emergencies, and it’s our duty to ensure everyone seems to be given the perfect chance of safe egress throughout fireplace emergencies.
It is also understood at present that copper Fire Resistant cables where installed in galvanized steel conduit can fail prematurely throughout fire emergency because of a reaction between the copper conductors and zinc galvanizing contained in the steel conduit. In 2012 United Laboratories (UL®) in America eliminated all certification for Fire Resistive cables the place put in in galvanized steel conduit because of this:
UL® Quote: “A concern was brought to our consideration related to the efficiency of those merchandise in the presence of zinc. We validated this finding. As a result of this, we modified our Guide Information to point that every one conduit and conduit fittings that are available contact with fireplace resistive cables ought to have an inside coating freed from zinc”.
Time temperature profile of tunnel fires using vehicles, HGV trailers with completely different cargo and rail carriages. Graph extract: Haukur Ingason and Anders Lonnermark of the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute who offered the paper at the First International Symposium in Prague 2004: Safe and Reliable Tunnels.
It would appear that some Standards authorities around the globe could must evaluation the current take a look at methodology presently adopted for fireplace resistive cable testing and maybe align the efficiency of Life Safety and Fire Fighting wiring techniques with that of all the other fire resistant constructions, elements and methods so that Architects, building designers and engineers know that once they want a hearth ranking that the essential wiring system will be equally rated.
For many power, control, communication and information circuits there may be one know-how available which can meet and surpass all present fireplace exams and functions. It is an answer which is incessantly utilized in demanding public buildings and has been employed reliably for over 80 years. MICC cable know-how can present a total and full answer to all the problems related to the fireplace security risks of modern versatile natural polymer cables.
The metal jacket, magnesium oxide insulation and conductors of MICC cables make positive the cable is effectively fire proof. Bare MICC cables have no organic content so merely can’t propagate flame or generate any smoke. The zero fuel-load of these MICC cables ensures no heat is added to the fire and no oxygen is consumed. Being inorganic these MICC cables can’t generate any halogen or poisonous gasses in any respect together with Carbon Monoxide. MICC cable designs can meet all of the present and constructing fireplace resistance performance requirements in all international locations and are seeing a significant improve in use globally.
Many engineers have previously thought of MICC cable technology to be “old school’ but with the new analysis in fire efficiency MICC cable system are now confirmed to have far superior fireplace performances than any of the newer more trendy versatile fireplace resistant cables.
For further info, go to www.temperature-house.com
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