Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
3, JULY 2001
429
TABLE I [3]
IGNITION THRESHOLD FOR COTTON FABRICS
I. OVERVIEW
A. Scope
HIS paper provides technical evaluation criteria for estimating the magnitude of the electric arc current required
to ignite 100% cotton fabric worn by transmission and distribution line workers inadvertently exposed to the thermal hazards
of an electric arc.
This paper is intended to suggest methods for initial evaluation of the ignition hazard assessment of clothing normally worn
by transmission and distribution line workers when working
on overhead lines operating at 4160 volts, phase to phase, and
above. Once the hazard has been identified a further risk analysis is required.
The paper does not consider the effects of three-phase arcs, or
arcs involving reflected energy, as can be found inside enclosed
spaces or equipment. These effects are being studied and may
be included when they are quantified. In any event, these types
of arcs are not commonly found in overhead work.
The paper does not address effects other than electric arcs.
An employers hazard assessment must take other factors into
consideration when determining whether or not 100% cotton
clothing is acceptable.
ASTM standards provided methods used to test fabrics for
ignition and the thermal performance of material.
B. Objective
The objective of this paper is to present sufficient details for
the performance of a technical evaluation of clothing that will
not ignite during transmission and distribution overhead line
work.
C. Regulatory Requirements
A. Arc Energy
B. Arc Gap
The distance between the electrodes.
C. Arc Voltage
The rms. value of the voltage drop across the arc column
caused by the arc resistance and the electrode drops.
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D. Arc Current
The rms. value of the current in the arc.
TABLE II
INSULATED RUBBER GLOVES
E. Duration
The time span of the arc from initiation to extinction in cycles
of the 60 Hz current.
F. Hazard Zone
The line length where the heat energy exceeds the ignition
threshold of the fabric for the assumed parameters.
G. Heat Flux
The thermal intensity indicated by the amount of energy
transmitted per unit area and time. (cal/cm /s or W/cm ).
H. Ignition
The property of a material involving the ignition of combustion accompanied by heat and light, and either continued
burning for at least 2 seconds or consumption of at least 25%
by area of the cotton fabric.
I. Ignition Threshold
The minimum value of heat energy at which the material will
reach ignition temperature and start to burn. In this guide that
value is taken as the 10% probability of ignition with a 95%
confidence level.
J. Incident Heat
The value of energy that is impinged on the receiving surface.
K. OPSY (Ounce per Square Yard)
Fabric weight in ounce per square yard of the material.
L. Separation Distance
The distance from the center line of the arc to the receiving
surface at the worker.
M. Trigger Current
The value of arc current required to reach the ignition
threshold heat flux for the parameters of that utility. Arc current
magnitude above this value will trigger a risk analysis.
N. Minimum Approach Distance (MAD)
The distance required to withstand the voltage stress plus
an adder for inadvertent movement. The MAD is specified in
regulations.
III. CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING IGNITION THRESHOLDS
A procedure to establish the system arc current magnitude
that will NOT ignite 100% natural cotton fabrics normally worn
by electric utility line workers is given.
Step 1: Determine the minimum weight and color of cotton
clothing normally worn by the line workers.
The normal clothing worn will probably be different for
winter and summer wear. It will be different in different regions
TASK FORCE 15.07.04.02: ESTIMATING THE IGNITION HAZARD OF 100% COTTON CLOTHING
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TABLE III
GLOVING METHOD
TABLE IV
HOT STICK METHOD
Maximum Fault Current not to exceed 4.6 cal/ cm2 incident energy
the number of stations that could have faults that might exceed
the ignition threshold.
Step 5: Determine the zone of hazard for utility line workers
by adding the line impedance, which will limit the arc current
to the trigger magnitude.
Step 6: Review the parameters used in the evaluation, work
practices and procedures and evaluate the options available to
reduce the risk of ignition for these locations and tasks.
1. Review the Fault Current Magnitudes.
The calculations are somewhat conservative, as they do not
include the arc and earth resistance. For stations with high magnitude fault currents there may be ways to sectionalize and reduce fault current during the time that work is in progress. Since
the current is directly proportional to the heat, reducing the current level will reduce the heat energy.
2. Review the Clearing Times.
For high magnitude fault current stations, faster clearing
times than used in the evaluation may be available. Note that
the fault duration is directly proportional to the incident energy.
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Cutting the clearing time in half will result in 1/2 the incident
energy.
3. Increase the Separation Distance.
Since the incident energy is a function of the separation distance to the 2.2 power, an increase in that distance by a change
in work practice will reduce the incident energy.
4. Change the Weight of Clothing Worn by the Worker.
IV. WORK METHODS
A. Gloving
At distribution voltages, live line work is done using dielectric
gloves. Table II gives the maximum use voltage and the length
of the glove from the crotch of the thumb to the cuff for the minimum length glove in that class. The minimum separation distance is determined by using the glove length, stated in ASTM
D120, minus 4 inches for the distance from the fingertip to the
thumb crotch and minus twice the 60 Hz sparkover distance.
B. Hot Sticks
For hot stick work methods, the MAD, less 2 times the 60 Hz
sparkover distance is used.
C. Barehand
When barehand work methods are used, the separation distance is determined by the work practice. However the worker
will be wearing a conductive suit made from FR fabrics and not
from 100% cotton.