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http://dx.doi.org/10.7731/KIFSE.2019.33.2.030

Tracking Propagation Mechanism on the Surface of Polyvinyl-Chloride-Sheathed Flat Cord based on Electric Field Analysis and Gas Discharge Physics  

Lim, Dong-Young (Department of Shipbuilding Plant and Electric Apparatus, Hyundai Technical High School)
Park, Herie (Division of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University)
Jee, Seung-Wook (Dept. of Fire Protection Engineering, Kangwon National University)
Publication Information
Fire Science and Engineering / v.33, no.2, 2019 , pp. 30-38 More about this Journal
Abstract
Tracking, which is one of the main causes of electrical fires, is perceived as a physical phenomenon of electrical discharge. Hence tracking should be explained based on electric field analysis, conduction path by electron generation, and gas discharge physics. However, few papers have considered these details. This paper proposes a tracking mechanism including their effects on tracking progress. In order to prove this mechanism, a tracking experiment, an electric field analysis for the carbonization evolution model, and an explanation of the tracking process by gas discharge physics were conducted. From the tracking experiment, the current waveforms were measured at each stage of the tracking progress from corona discharge to tracking breakdown. The electric field analysis was carried out in order to determine the electric field on the surface of a dry-band and the high electric field region for electron generation during the generation and progress of carbonization. In this paper, the proposed tracking mechanism consisted of six stages including electron avalanche by corona discharge, accumulation of positive ions, expansion of electron avalanche, secondary electron emission avalanche, streamer, and tracking by conductive path. The pulse current waveforms measured in the tracking experiment can be explained by the proposed tracking mechanism. The results of this study will be used as the technical data to detect tracking phenomenon, which is the cause of electric fire, and to improve the proof tracking index.
Keywords
Tracking phenomenon; Tracking mechanism; Scintillation discharge; Electric field; Gas discharge;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
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