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An Experimental Investigation of Internally Ignited Fires in Nuclear Power Plant Control Cabinets: Part 1: Cabinet Effects Tests (NUREG/CR-4527, Vol. 1)
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Publication Information
Date Published: April 1987
J. M. Chavez
Prepared by
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 and Livermore, California 94550
for the United States Department of Energy
under Contract DE-AC04-76DP00789
Prepared for
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Availability
Notice
Abstract
A series of full-scale cabinet fire tests was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. 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.
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