Initial Fire Disposal Technology for Electric Wires: Active Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Concepts

Electric wires are crucial components of power systems, playing a significant role in social production and daily life. However, their widespread use also introduces considerable fire risks characterized by strong concealment, rapid burning, and significant difficulty in extinguishing. Existing fire extinguishing systems struggle to detect and dispose of initial fires promptly. This study presents the development of a Fire Extinguishing Polymer Composite (FEPC), designed for proactive prevention and control of initial electric wire fires. Comprehensive characterization and testing were conducted to evaluate the protective effects of FEPC on electric wires in thermal environments. A Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA) was employed to simulate the real-world thermal conditions of electric wire combustion and fire propagation. The performance of FEPC was examined under varying conditions of radiant heat flux, ventilation flow, and layout methods. The findings indicate that FEPC effectively delayed the time to ignition without exacerbating the overall thermal and toxic hazards, though it increased smoke hazard risks. The efficiency of FEPC decreased with higher radiant heat flux, suggesting its optimal use in the initial stages of the fires. While the quantity of FEPC used did not significantly impact its extinguishing efficiency, its placement did. Optimal results were achieved when protecting areas with limited wire quantities. Additionally, FEPC demonstrated superior fire extinguishing efficiency in confined spaces compared to open environments. This research provides valuable technical insights for the active protection of wire initial fires.