• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.22-28
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• 2017

According to the National Fire Data System (NFDS), more than 5,000 vehicle fires have occurred every year for the last 10 years. Vehicle fires are primarily caused by mechanical (breaking system and engine), electrical (wiring and battery), and chemical (oil and fuel gas leakage) problems. The electrical factor has increased with the installation of driver convenience equipment. For example, today, the black box is widely used to provide video data recording of motor vehicle accidents. The black box consists of a front camera, rear camera, and wires. The black box wires are directly connected to the junction box or fuse box from the start battery that operates to provide normal on power supplying for engine stop. It is extremely dangerous when the wires short circuit due to insulation aging, mechanical and electrical stress, etc. In this study, the black box wiring fire risk have been analyzed and investigated when the steady state and abnormal operations, and under the following conditions: wiring arrangements with a high temperature condition, insulation aging, poor contact, and short circuits. The results showed that black box wiring short circuits had a higher fire risk than the other fire hazard elements. To prevent fire hazards caused by black box wiring, the black boxes must be installed by qualified service personnel. Do not modify the wiring, remove the fuse and secure the wiring using cable ties or insulation tape.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.2149-2153
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• 2008

A large-scale fire test was done for interior materials from a vehicle installed within a fire test room. The interior materials are satisfied with the Korean guide for the safety of rail vehicle. The guide has taken effect since December 2004 in Korea. Ignition source (gas burner) was increased in several controlled steps. The objectives of this test are to assess the fire performance in terms of ignition and flame spread on interior lining materials and to provide data on an enclosure fires involving train interior materials that grow to flashover. This data will be used to develop and calibrate an Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) model for fire growth on the interior vehicle.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.590-595
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• 2008

A large-scale fire test was done for interior materials from a vehicle installed within a fire test room. The interior materials are the old style before interior replacement by the Korean guideline for the safety of rail vehicle. Ignition source (gas burner) was increased in several controlled steps. The objectives of this test are to assess the fire performance in terms of ignition and flame spread on interior lining materials and to provide data on an enclosure fires involving train interior materials that grow to flashover. This data will be used to develop and calibrate an Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) model for fire growth on the interior vehicle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2022.11a
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• pp.235-236
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• 2022

Electric vehicle fires in underground parking lots are very dangerous, but it is judged that the current related laws and regulations do not change, which will cause problems. As a result of the analysis for the purpose of providing an electric vehicle in an underground parking lot, fire-resistance coating is essential as it can cause an explosion in the building members made of high-strength concrete when an electric vehicle fire occurs in an underground parking lot. Since a fire occurs, it is necessary to prevent electric vehicles from parking adjacent to each other.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2019

Combustion characteristics of gasoline/ethanol fuel were investigated both numerically and experimentally for vehicle fire safety. The numerical simulation was performed on the well-stirred reactor (WSR) to simulate the homogeneous gasoline engine and to clarify the effect of ethanol addition in the gasoline fuel. The simulating cases with three independent variables, i.e. ethanol mole fraction, equivalence ratio and residence time, were designed to predict and optimized systematically based on the response surface method (RSM). The results of stoichiometric gasoline surrogate show that the auto-ignition temperature increases but NOx yields decrease with increasing ethanol mole fraction. This implies that the bioethanol added gasoline is an eco-friendly fuel on engine running condition. However, unburned hydrocarbon is increased dramatically with increasing ethanol content, which results from the incomplete combustion and hence need to adjust combustion itself rather than an after-treatment system. For more tangible understanding of gasoline/ethanol fuel on pollutant emissions, experimental measurements of combustion products were performed in gasoline/ethanol pool fires in the cup burner. The results show that soot yield by gravimetric sampling was decreased dramatically as ethanol was added, but NOx emission was almost comparable regardless of ethanol mole fraction. For soot morphology by TEM sampling, the incipient soot such as a liquid like PAHs was observed clearly on the soot of higher ethanol containing gasoline, and the soot might be matured under the undiluted gasoline fuel.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2024

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are widely used in various sectors, such as transportation (e.g., electric vehicles (EV)) and energy (e.g., energy storage facilities) due to their high energy density, broad operating temperature (-20 ℃ ~ 60 ℃), and high capacities. LIBs are powerful but fragile on external factors, including pressure, physical damage, overheating, and overcharging, that cause thermal runaway causing fires and explosions. During a LIB fire, a large amount of oxygen is generated from the decomposition of ionogenic materials. A water fire extinguisher that helps with cooling and suffocating must be essentially required at the same time. In fact, however, it is difficult to suppress LIB fires in the case of EVs because a LIB is installed with a battery pack housing that interrupts direct extinguishing by water. Thus, this study aims to investigate effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires by using an EV. Relevant documents, including research articles and reports, were reviewed to identify effective ways of LIBs fire extinguishing. A real-scale fire experiment generating thermal runaway was carried out to figure out the combustion characteristics of EVs. This study revealed that the most effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires are applying fire blankets and water tanks. However, there is still a lack of adequate regulation and guidelines for LIB fire extinguishment. Taking this into account, developing functional fire extinguishment measurements and available regulatory instruments is an urgent issue to secure the safety of firefighters and citizens.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.92-99
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• 2012

It is often thought that because no-start motor vehicles cannot start an engine, a fire cannot occur for motor vehicle causes. However, although the engine cannot start up, some parts may be live with electricity if a battery is connected. If the parts have problems, a fire can occur. This study analyzed the causes of fires occurring when a motor vehicle was loaded onto a tow truck to service no-start. It is suggested that no-start motor vehicles should separate a battery terminal to prevent a fire. And this fire is related to automotive products liability.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.119-127
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• 2011

Because of most notably the increase in vehicular traffic in Korea, as measured by highway transport usage, relief is being sought by expanding the construction of highways after 1970s'. These highways have opened up over 70 % of the mountainous areas in Korea's country side which includes the construction of tunnels. Currently there are 607 tunnels installed that are being maintained and by 2015, under the next medium-term plan, Korea will build an additional 440 tunnels. In addition, the use of 1,000m double-pole tunnels is expected to increase significantly in 256 locations. There is no doubt that these tunnels will relieve traffic congestion and aid improved communications, but halfclosed underground highway tunnels in particular are required to reduce tunnel fires caused by poor vehicle maintenance, and other factors such as speeding motorists that increase the number of vehicular accidents. Double-pole tunnels in 1,000m length over require vehicle drivers to be more cautious in terms of the continuous speed limit, judged by how devastating most of car-crash fires within these tunnels can be. In order to prevent these disasters, a full-length tunnel speed enforcement system should be considered mandatorily in legal clauses.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.112-119
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• 2011

In this study, a fire cause of setting fire to one's own car to collect the insurance is analyzed. Through a close examination of causes of this car fire, it is suggested to improve current practices and institutions: (1) A collection system of fallen vehicle parts or fire debris in the fire site should be established; (2) A system of providing fire site information in detail should be established when a police station requests National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI) to examine causes of vehicle fires; (3) When a burned car is suspected of arson, a fire station and a police station should maintain a mutual cooperation system; (4) Procedures of examining the causes of vehicle arson in National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI) should be improved; and (5) Recognition of the examination of fire causes and correlation with analysis equipment should be changed.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.67-75
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• 2012

Because recently(July 14, 2011) fire occurred in the engine room of a moving taxi under Namsan Tunnel 1, 51 vehicles' driver and more than 250 passengers in the road tunnel were urgently evacuated with abandoned vehicles. Vehicle fires in Namsan Tunnel that day, Sufferers struggled to escape quickly difficult to escape the two-way by abandoned vehicles on the road and to fear many casualties by using vehicle fuel and combustible interior and the driver who is ignorant of vehicle accident continuous entered in the road tunnel had accessibility the site of fire department was more difficult. In this study, It is to investigate structure and basic materials, such as fire extinguish equipment and facilities for damage prevention and to analyze the problems and to plan improvement method of fire extinguish equipment, facilities for damage prevention and transportation facilities(Large traffic signs, Breaker, etc.) on the Namsan Tunnel that in the long-term plan is prepared to strengthen for accessibility of the site of fire department in case of Vehicle's fire.