Yannick Alexis
\nDaniel Gottuk
\nJensen Hughes
\nBaltimore MD USA
\nChristopher B. Wood
\nFireLink LLC
\nTewksbury MA USA<\/p>\n
Presented at the International Symposium on Fire Investigation Science and Technology, 2018<\/p>\n
ABSTRACT<\/p>\n
This paper explores thermally induced activation of Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs) that are\u00a0commonly found in residential, small office and commercial occupancies. A total of 81 MCCBs were put into an\u00a0oven with no current (i.e. no-load), along with thermocouples that were connected to a data acquisition system to\u00a0track trip status and air temperatures proximate to the breakers. Different types of MCCBs were tested and results\u00a0tabulated based on the brand, number of poles, and amperage ratings of the breakers. All the MCCBs were activated\u00a0thermally during the testing, and the trip temperatures of the different types of MCCBs are displayed graphically.\u00a0The breakers tended to trip between 350\u00b0F (177\u00b0C) and 470\u00b0F (243\u00b0C) and between 16 to 22 minutes from when the\u00a0oven reached 160\u00b0F (the MCCB\u2019s maximum operating temperature) and then followed a linear temperature\u00a0increase\u00a0of 10\u00b0F\/min (5.6\u00b0C\/min). The changes in the breakers\u2019 physical conditions were also noted. This experiment\u00a0provides further evidence that thermal activation of circuit breakers exposed to fire conditions may be a\u00a0consideration for the investigator of a fire. Recommendations for future work are also included.<\/p>\n
Download the Complete Paper Here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yannick Alexis Daniel Gottuk Jensen Hughes Baltimore MD USA Christopher B. Wood FireLink LLC Tewksbury MA USA Presented at the International Symposium on Fire Investigation Science and Technology, 2018 ABSTRACT This paper explores thermally induced activation of Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs) that are\u00a0commonly found in residential, small office and commercial occupancies. A total of … Continue reading Thermal Activation of Molded Case Circuit Breakers by External Heat Exposure<\/span>