ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF STATISTICAL DATA AND RESEARCH RESULTS ON FIRES IN MOTOR VEHICLES CAUSED BY FIRE HAZARDOUS EXPLOITATION OF THERMOCATALYTIC SYSTEMS

The paper presents a critical analysis and review of statistical and research data on vehicle fires caused by overheated thermocatalytic systems, and the analysis of methods for investigation and diagnosis of fire hazardous modes of thermocatalytic systems exploitation. It was established that overheating of thermocatalytic systems (up to 1 000 oS or more) leads to an increase in the fire risk. The overheating is mainly associated with the incorrect operation of the electronic fuel injection system, the passage and delayed ignition, the supply of excess fuel to the engine cylinders, and the use of poor -quality fuels. The original methodology for diagnosing fire hazardous modes of thermocatalytic systems revealing relationships between changes in exhaust pollutants quantity and failures of fuel equipment affecting the quality of the fuel-air mixture formation, the fullness of fuel combustion and conversion of harmful substances is also described.