@article{ref1,
title="Statistical characterization of cable electrical failure temperatures due to fire for nuclear power plant risk applications",
journal="Fire technology",
year="2017",
author="Gallucci, Raymond H. V.",
volume="53",
number="1",
pages="401-412",
abstract="Single-value failure temperatures for fire loss of electrical cable functionality have been the norm for Fire Probabilistic Risk Assessments since the publication in 2005 of NUREG/CR-6850. If the calculated exposure temperature matches or exceeds the cable failure temperature, electrical failure is always assumed; if not, no failure is assumed. While this can be relaxed somewhat if a distribution for the exposure temperature is estimated, use of a distribution on the cable failure temperature itself more readily enables such relaxation and, therefore, a more realistic assessment. This paper develops probability distributions for different generic cable types (based on insulation) using data from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission tests. <br><br>RESULTS indicate mean failure temperatures considerably higher than those used deterministically, 252°C, 421°C and 383°C, respectively for thermoplastic, thermoset and Kerite-FR®. This suggests considerable relaxation from the conservatism inherent using the deterministic failure temperatures could be achieved. The paper then postulates two hypothetical distributions on the exposure temperature from applying a fire phenomenological model in a statistical way to estimate the possible relaxation using the distributed cable failure temperatures to enhance the realism of the assessment. Examples show that use of probabilistically-distributed cable failure temperatures (in conjunction with similar for exposure temperatures) can reduce the probability of electrical failure for a normally-distributed exposure temperature with a mean of 350°C and standard deviation of 58.3°C by factors of approximately three and eight for Kerite-FR® and thermoset cables, respectively. The reduction would be less pronounced for thermoplastic cables, although larger reductions would be possible here as well for lower exposure temperatures (e.g., a factor of two).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0015-2684",
doi="10.1007/s10694-016-0616-0",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10694-016-0616-0"
}