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

电弧闪光是当高压设备发生故障并产生电弧时产生的。电弧闪光与巨大的热量产生有关，可能导致在一定范围内定义为电弧闪光边界的任何人严重烧伤。防护服已经开发出来，为经常在电弧闪光边界内工作的电气工人**提供保护。它们是用含有耐火纤维的织物制造的，以提供与电弧闪光相关的高温屏障。然而，电弧闪光防护服面料的创新受到电弧闪光测试相关的巨大成本的阻碍。**该项目的目标是确定台式实验室测试/组合测试，以筛选**潜在的纤维混合物/织物，然后将最佳候选材料进行电弧闪光测试。这些不同测试的结果也将更好地理解电弧闪光测试下织物失效模式的起源机制，即电弧热性能（ATPV）或断开（EBT）。探索的台式实验室测试/程序将包括高温下的拉伸强度测量；暴露于辐射热后的爆裂强度测量；以及约束试样的辐射耐热性**测量。测试将在五种不同的耐火织物混合物上进行**，显示出广泛的电弧等级性能。然后将分析这些台式实验室测试所探测的行为与电弧闪光测量结果之间的相关性。**该项目利用了PI在防火织物方面的大量专业知识，以及她在阿尔伯塔大学的部门独特的防火材料测试基础设施。该项目的结果对工业合作伙伴至关重要，该合作伙伴是一家生产用于防护服的耐火再生芳纶纤维的制造商，因为他希望开拓电弧额定市场，但由于电弧闪光测试成本过高，他将创新解决方案投入试验的能力有限。对加拿大的好处包括减少了废弃阻燃工作服的填埋量，并开发了改进的电弧闪光防护服。

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.