Fire tests

Check the behaviour of electric cables under fire conditions and conduct type approval tests for the EC marking of cables.

Tests objectives :

• Assess the ability of cables not to propagate fire via 3 tests:
  – 1 kW flame propagation
  – Fire propagation on stranded wires
  – Fire propagation on ribbon cables
• Evaluate heat generated by measurement of oxygen consumption coupled with measurements of fire propagation on ribbon cables
• Characterize smoke toxicity and opacity from cables in the event of fire.

Tests facilities :

• 27 m3 test chamber
• 1 kW flame
• Testing booth
• Test device for ribbon cables (with or without calorimeter hood)

Accreditations :

ISO/IEC 17025 awarded by COFRAC

Testing norms :

EN 61034 – Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions

NF C 32-070 – Classification tests on cables and conductors with respect to their fire behaviour

IEC 60 332 – Tests on electric and optical fibre cables under fire conditions – Procedure for 1 kW pre-mixed flame

EN 50266-2-4 et EN 50305 (§9.1)- Test for vertical flame spread of vertically-mounted bunched wires or cables

EN 50399 – Heat release and smoke production measurement on cables during flame spread test

EN 45545 – Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles

Check the compliance of materials intended for rolling stock with regard to fire behaviour.

Tests objectives :

• Assess fire behaviour of railway materials through various measurements:
  – Toxicity – by gaseous effluent dosage
  – Smoke opacity in a non-renewed atmosphere
  – Behaviour of materials under intermittent thermal loads
  – Threshold limit value of oxygen for sustaining combustion
  – Critical heat flux
  – Critical flux at extinguishment
  – Oxygen consumption calorimetry of rail materials
• Categorize materials according to requirement levels

Tests facilities :

• Smoke chamber combined with a Fourier transform infrared analysis unit
• Smoke chamber
• Radiant heating panels (horizontal and vertical)
• Cone calorimeter

Accreditations :

ISO/IEC 17025 awarded by COFRAC

Testing norms :

EN 45545 – Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles

NF F16-101 – Rolling stock – Fire behaviour – Choice of materials

NF F16-102 – Railway rolling stock – Fire behaviour – Choice of materials, application to electric equipment