Benchtop laboratory test method to predict arc flash rating of protective clothing fabrics

当高压设备发生故障时会产生弧光，从而产生电弧光。弧光与产生的巨大热量有关，在弧光边界定义的某一范围内，任何人都可能被严重烧伤。防护服已经被开发出来，为经常在弧光边界内工作的电气工人**提供保护。它们是用包含防火**纤维的织物制造的，以提供一种屏障，抵御与弧光相关的高温。然而，弧光闪光防护服面料的创新受到与弧光闪光测试相关的高昂成本的阻碍。**该项目的目标是确定台式实验室测试/测试组合，以便在对最佳候选者进行弧光闪光测试之前筛选**潜在的纤维混纺/面料用于弧光闪光防护服**。这些不同测试的结果还将有助于更好地了解在弧光闪光测试下织物故障模式**起源的机制，即弧热性能(ATPV)或断开**(EBT)。所探讨的台式实验室测试/程序将包括高温下的抗拉强度测量；暴露在辐射热下的破裂强度测量；以及约束试件的抗辐射热性能**测量。将对五种不同的耐火织物混纺织物进行测试**，以展示各种弧度性能。然后将分析这些台式**实验室测试所探测的行为与弧光测量结果之间的相关性。**该项目利用了PI在耐火织物方面的丰富专业知识以及她在阿尔伯塔大学系独特的**耐火材料测试基础设施。这个**项目的结果对工业合作伙伴来说至关重要，他是一家生产用于防护服的耐火再生芳纶纤维**的制造商，因为他希望开拓弧光额定市场，但由于弧光闪光测试高昂的成本，他将**创新解决方案投入试验的能力受到限制。对加拿大的好处包括减少**退役阻燃工作服的数量，并开发改进的弧光闪光防护服。

Arc flash is created when high-voltage equipment fails and generates an electrical arc. Arc flashes are**associated with huge heat generation that can cause serious burns to anyone within a certain perimeter defined**as the arc flash boundary. Protective clothing has been developed to provide protection to electrical workers**who routinely work within the arc flash boundary. They are manufactured with fabrics that include fire resistant**fibers to provide a barrier against the high temperatures associated with arc flashes. However, innovation in**fabrics for arc flash protective clothing is hampered by the large cost associated with arc flash testing.**The goal of the project is to identify benchtop laboratory tests / combination of tests that will allow screening**potential fiber blends/fabrics for arc rated protective clothing before subjecting the best candidates to arc flash**testing. The results of these different tests will also provide a better understanding of the mechanisms at the**origin of the fabric mode of failure under arc flash test, i.e. arc thermal performance (ATPV) or break-open**(EBT). The benchtop laboratory tests/procedures explored will include tensile strength measurement at high**temperature; burst strength measurement following exposure to radiant heat; and radiant heat resistance**measurement on restrained specimens. Tests will be conducted on five different fire-resistant fabric blends**displaying a wide range of arc rating performance. Correlations between the behavior probed by these benchtop**laboratory tests and the results of arc flash measurements will then be analyzed.**This project takes advantage of the large expertise of the PI in fire resistant fabrics as well as the unique**fire-resistant materials testing infrastructure in her department at the University of Alberta. The result of this**project is of critical importance to the industrial partner, a manufacturer of fire-resistant recycled aramid fibers**for protective clothing, as he wishes to explore the arc rated market but is limited in his ability to put**innovative solutions to the trial by the prohibitive cost of arc flash testing. Benefits to Canada include reducing**the amount of retired fire-retardant workwear landfilled and developing improved arc flash protective clothing.