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DAY
1
Part I – General principles pertinent to electrical fires
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What is an electrical fire?
• Statistics on electrical fires
• Fundamentals: Ohm’s Law, sine waves, simple circuits,
energy-storing components (inductors, capacitors)
• Energy sources: Static electricity, electric current
• Electrical discharges (all types, applicable both to static
electricity and electric current) |
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Breakdown phenomena |
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Paschen’s Law (air) |
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Dielectric strength of solid insulators |
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Definitions of arc and spark |
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Spark ignition of flammable atmospheres |
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Types of discharges under steady-state conditions (i.e., with electric
current flow, not for static electricity) |
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Ignition modes involving electric current |
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Sparking or arcing in the gas phase |
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Arcing across a carbonized path |
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Glowing and other forms of overheating (ohmic heating |
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Ejection of hot particles |
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Miscellaneous phenomena |
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Time for fire to initiate from a defect
• Static electricity |
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•General
principles (charge separation, accumulation, discharge) |
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•Means
whereby charge separation occurs |
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•Types of discharges |
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•Electrostatic
charging and discharging of solids/ persons and apparel/ granular
materials/ liquids |
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Lightning |
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•Electrical
characteristics |
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•Ignition
from lightning |
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Other atmospheric discharges (St. Elmo’s fire, ball lightning)
• Electromagnetic waves and particulate radiation |
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•Radio
transmitters, eddy currents, dielectric heating |
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Minimum energy requirements for ignition |
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•Gases/
Dust clouds/ Liquids/ Solids |
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Are there minimum values of voltage, current, or power that must be
exceeded for ignition to be possible? |
DAY
2
Part II – Practical applications and failures of devices
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Problems with wiring devices |
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•Wiring
in 120 and 240 VAC branch circuits |
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•Electric
outlets, plugs, and connections |
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•Busbars,
switchboards, panelboards |
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•Insulated
distribution cables |
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•Service
drops, high-current-capacity conduits |
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•Branch-circuit
wiring conduits |
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•High-voltage
insulators |
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•Power
and distribution transformers |
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•Wiring
in motor vehicles |
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•Wiring
in aircraft |
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Problems with other appliances or devices (not wiring devices) |
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•Flammability
of cabinets of electric or electronic appliances |
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•High-limit
switches and thermostats |
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•Electric
batteries |
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•Electric
blankets, mattress pads, heating pads |
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•Heat
tapes and heat cables |
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•Electric
heaters |
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•Electric
cooking appliances |
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•Electric water heaters |
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•Electric
dryers and washers |
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•Electric
lamps and lighting fixtures |
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•Electronic
devices |
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•Computer
equipment |
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•Televisions |
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•Radio
and audio equipment |
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•Cellular
telephones |
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•Surge
suppression devices |
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Protective devices |
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•Over-current
devices (circuit breakers, fuses) |
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•Ground-fault
circuit interruption devices (GFCIs) |
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•Arc-fault
circuit interruption devices (AFCIs) |
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•Explosionproof
or intrinsically safe equipment |
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Arc beads—cause or victim? |
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Time for fire to develop from defect |
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Research status concerning electrical fires |
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•Most
work has been done in Japan; almost no ongoing •research in
the US |
Comments,
Open Discussion |
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ORGANISERS
Further details from the Conference Organisers:
Interscience Communications Ltd, West Yard House, Guildford Grove,
London SE10 8JT, UK
Tel +44 (0) 208 692 5050; +44 (0)208 692 5155, Email: office@intersciencecomms.co.uk
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