Cable Response to Live Fire (CAROLFIRE) Volume 3: Thermally-Induced Electrical Failure (THIEF) Model.
Cable Response to Live Fire (CAROLFIRE) Volume 3:
Thermally-Induced Electrical Failure (THIEF) Model.
(2558 K)
McGrattan, K. B.; Dreisbach, J.
NISTIR 7472; NUREG/CR-6931; Volume 3; 74 p. April 2008.
Keywords:
cables; electric cables; electrical cables; fire tests;
failure modes; algorithms; heat flux; experiments;
thermosets; thermoplastics; cable trays; fire models;
combustion
Abstract:
This report describes a thermally-induced electrical
failure (THIEF) model's ability to predict the behavior
of power, instrument, and control cables during a fire.
The model is intended to be incorporated as a subroutine
for deterministic fire models, and it is of comparable
accuracy and simplicity to the activation algorithms for
various other fire protection devices (e.g., sprinklers,
heat and smoke detectors). THIEF model predictions are
compared to experimental measurements of instrumented
cables in a variety of configurations, and the results
indicate that the model is an appropriate analysis tool
for nuclear power plant applications. This work was
performed as part of the CAROLFIRE (Cable Response to
Live Fire) program sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission. The experiments for CAROLFIRE
were conducted at Sandia National Laboratories,
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Details of the CAROLFIRE
experimental program are contained in Volumes 1 and 2 of
this three-volume series.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899