An experimental investigation of internally ignited fires in nuclear power plant control cabinets: Part 1: Cabinet effects tests

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6330689

Chavez, J M

A series of full-scale cabinet fire tests was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The cabinet fire tests were prompted by the potential threat to the safety of a nuclear power plant by a cabinet fire in either the control room or in a switchgear type room. The purpose of these cabinet fire tests was to characterize the development and effects of internally ignited cabinet fires as a function of several parameters believed to most influence the burning process. A primary goal of this test program was to test representative and credible configurations and materials. This series of 22 cabinet fire tests demonstrated that fires in either benchboard or vertical cabinets with either IEEE-383 qualified cable or unqualified cable can be ignited and propagate. However, fires with IEEE-383 qualified cable do not propagate as rapidly nor to the extent that unqualified cable does. Furthermore, the results showed that the thermal environment in the test enclosure and adjacent cabinets is not severe enough to result in autoignition of other combustibles; although in some of the larger fires melting of plastic materials may occur. Smoke accumulation in the room appeared to be the most significant problem, as smoke obscured the view in the enclosure within minutes after ignition. Essentially, a cabinet fire can propagate within a single cabinet; however, for the conditions tested it does not appear that the fire poses a threat outside the burning cabinet except the resulting smoke.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Div. of Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6330689
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-4527-1; SAND-86-0336; ON: TI87010751
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
AEROSOLS
CABLES
COLLOIDS
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
CONTROL ROOMS
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC CABLES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ENERGY
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIRE HAZARDS
FIRES
HAZARDS
HEAT
INFORMATION
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUMERICAL DATA
POWER PLANTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR SAFETY EXPERIMENTS
RESIDUES
SAFETY
SMOKES
SOLS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS