Full Scale Burn Tests of Television Sets and Electronic Appliances.

Autor: J.M. Hoffmann, D.J. Hoffmann, E.C. Kroll, M.J. Kroll
Zdroj: Fire Technology; Jul2003, Vol. 39 Issue 3, p207-224, 18p
Abstrakt: Ten full-scale burn tests of television sets and electronic appliances were performed to: (1) demonstrate the ignition propensity and fire performance characteristics of materials used in the construction of television sets marketed in the United States and to compare these to the fire performance of television sets marketed in Europe; (2) document the damage to television sets when exposed to nearby burning materials; (3) evaluate and compare the damage to television sets when subjected to different size, duration and types of fires; (4) evaluate fire damage to television sets and electronic appliances when exposed to post flashover conditions; and (5) evaluate electrical damage caused to components of electronic appliances while they are powered and subjected to exposure fires.Ignitability tests showed that television sets constructed with cabinets made of V-0 rated plastics (for the U.S. market) will not ignite and propagate a flame under the test conditions. Television sets made of HB rated plastics (for the European market) will ignite and propagate a flame under the same test conditions and the television set will be consumed in the ensuing fire. The UL 94 tests do not provide rate of heat release data; however, calorimetry test data showed that the rate of heat release and the burning of the electronic appliances and television sets were in part dependent on the size of the exposure fire.Examination of the television sets and electronic appliances after the burn tests showed that the severity of damage and type of damage varied significantly. Electrical fault activity was noted to have occurred both exterior and interior to the powered television sets as well as other powered electronic appliances. In all cases, the fire source was external to the appliance.Post fire examination after the flashover fires showed that fire pattern analysis and burn damage are not necessarily indicative of the area of origin or cause and can be misleading to even “experienced” fire investigators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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