The European Commission and The European Cable Industry (EUROPACABLE) are finalising Classification criteria for evaluating electric cables throughout Europe under the Construction Products Directive (CPD). The Classification utilises the results obtained from traditional IEC 60332-3 test equipment fitted with heat and smoke release measurement instrumentation. The former is calculated by continuous measurement of the oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide generated in the combustion process. The basis of the new test protocol was developed by FTT’s Andrew Green with colleagues from SP (Sweden), ISSeP (Belgium), CESI (Italy) and Interscience (UK) as part of an EC-funded FIPEC project. This project was managed by FTT director Stephen Grayson.

Modifying Existing IEC 60332-3 Apparatus To Measure Heat Release
Conversion of the existing IEC 60332-3 apparatus to measure heat release is accomplished by fitting a small instrumented section of ducting into the exhaust system of the rig and using this with the associated FTT gas analysis instrumentation and software and a modified test protocol. The duct section houses all gas sampling probes, temperature and mass flow probes needed, and the smoke measuring system.

Instrumentos para análisis de gas
These are housed in a 19″ instrument rack containing:

• Analizador de oxígeno (paramagnético) suministrado con compensación de temperatura y presión para medir la liberación de calor principal.
• Analizador de dióxido de carbono (infrarrojo) para emplear en la medición de liberación de calor.
• Dual-stage soot filter, refrigerant cold trap, drying column, pump and waste regulators for conditioning the sample gases prior to analysis
• Controles para el sistema de medición de humo (en caso de adquirirlos).
• Registrador de datos (opción).

Clients already owning the FTT Dual Cone Calorimeter, ISO 9705 Room Corner test or SBI can use their existing instrumentation to measure the heat release rate from their IEC 60332-3. Alternatively, the IEC Gas Analysis rack can be used to instrument other calorimeters (e.g. FTT Dual Cone Calorimeter etc.).

FTT puede suministrar sistemas de medición de humo mediante láser o luz blanca que cumplan con la norma. El sistema láser es similar al que se utiliza en el calorímetro de cono. Cumple con ISO 5660 e incorpora una especificación avanzada de reducción de ruido. El sistema de luz blanca es similar al que se emplea en la prueba SBI y está construido conforme a DIN 50055.