The Impact of Thermal Aging on the Flammability of Electric Cables
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
An investigation of the impact of thermal aging on the flammability of two common types of nuclear grade electrical cables has been performed. Four large-scale flammability tests were performed with each of the two cable types tested in both an unaged (i.e., new off the reel) and a thermally aged (artificially aged) condition. In all cases, the fire was observed to consume virtually all of the combustible cable jacket and insulation material present. However, for both cable types tested, the thermal aging process caused a decrease in the cable flammability as demonstrated by decreases in the rate of fire growth, peak fire intensity, total heat released and near fire temperatures. This result is consistent with past cable aging studies because it has been observed that the thermal aging process will drive off certain of the more volatile constituents of a polymeric material. Presumably, when these aged materials are subjected to a fire, the evolution of volatile combustible gases is reduced as compared to the unaged materials, and hence, flammability is reduced. The results of these tests indicate that, at least for the two cable types tested, the evaluation of cable flammability using unaged cable samples will remain a conservative indicator of cable flammability in a thermally aged condition.
- Research Organization:
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Engineering; Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6083945
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR--5619; SAND--90-2121; ON: TI91008929
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
42 ENGINEERING
420500 -- Engineering-- Materials Testing
AGING
CABLES
CALORIMETRY
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
ELECTRIC CABLES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATION
EQUIPMENT
FIRE RESISTANCE
FIRES
FLAMMABILITY
HEAT FLUX
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDUSTRY
MATTER
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SAFETY
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VOLATILE MATTER
cable
fire protection
fire risk
fire safety
flammability
nuclear plant aging