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NFPA 805 Transition Pilot Plant FAQ 06-0022, Revision 2
ML083010053
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Site: Arkansas Nuclear  Entergy icon.png
Issue date: 10/23/2008
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Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 1 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Plant: Arkansas Nuclear One Date:

September 5, 2008

Contact:

Ronnie Hendrix Phone:

479-858-5552 Email:

rhendri@entergy.com Distribution: (NEI Internal Use) 805 TF FPWG RATF RIRWG BWROG PWROG Purpose of FAQ:

To provide a list of flame propagation tests for electrical cables that are acceptable to the AHJ.

Is this Interpretation of guidance?

Yes / No Proposed new guidance not in NEI 04-02? Yes / No Details:

NEI 04-02 guidance needing interpretation (include section, paragraph, and line numbers as applicable):

NEI 04-02, Section 4.3.1, Fundamental Fire Protection Program and Design Elements Transition Review, should refer to a new appendix which lists interpretation of specific sections of NFPA 805 Chapter 3 Circumstances requiring guidance interpretation or new guidance:

Section 3.3.5.3 of NFPA 805 require that electric cable construction comply with a flame propagation test acceptable to the AHJ and that it be a type that has been tested using a recognized flame spread test such as IEEE 817 or IEEE 1202. The industry requires clarification as to what flame propagation tests are acceptable to the NRC.

Detail contentious points if licensee and NRC have not reached consensus on the facts and circumstances:

None Potentially relevant existing FAQ numbers:

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 2 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc None Response Section:

Proposed resolution of FAQ and the basis for the proposal:

Based on the NRC response to Revision 1 of FAQ 06-022 (ML072740236), the NRCs technical evaluation entitled Response to NRR FAQ 06-0022 Guidance on Standards and Flame Propagation Tests (ML07205022) will be incorporated into the NEI 04-02, Appendix K NFPA 805 Chapter 3 Clarifications.

If appropriate, provide proposed rewording of guidance for inclusion in the next Revision to NEI 04-02:

Include the following specific clarification to NFPA 805, Chapter 3.3.5.3:

Appendix K NFPA 805 Section 3.3.5.3 (FAQ 06-0022)

Several NRC documents, cited in this section, include the requirements for flame propagation for existing or new electrical cables. In general, these documents refer to the IEEE 383-1974 and/or IEEE 1202-1991 flame tests as the NRC accepted test standards for flame propagation. Below is a list of NRC related documents that cite IEEE 383-1974 test as minimum acceptance requirements for flame propagation.

Even though these documents may apply to Nuclear Power Plants constructed during different time periods, the standard flame propagation tests accepted to the US NRC are still basically the same.

NFPA 805 (2001 Edition) section 3.3.5.3 states that electric cable construction shall comply with a flame propagation test as acceptable to the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), which in the US Nuclear Industry, is the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC). Below are the US NRC documents which refer to the flame propagation test acceptable to the AHJ.

NUREG-0800 (Rev 4, Oct 2003) states that Electrical cables should meet flame test criteria of IEEE 383 or 1202, or be provided with alternative protection as allowed by the specific plant licensing and/or design basis (See Regulatory Guide 1.189).

Appendix A to Branch Technical Position (BTP) APCSB 9.5-1 states that electric cable constructions should, as a minimum, pass the flame test in the current IEEE 383. It also states that for cable installation in operating plants and plants under construction that do not meet the IEEE 383 flame test requirements, all cables must be covered with an approved flame retardant coating and properly derated.

Reg Guide 1.189 (Rev 1, Mar 2007) states that Electric cable construction should pass the flame test in IEEE Standard 383, IEEE Standard for Type Test of Class IE Electric Cables, Field Splices, and Connections for Nuclear Power Generating Stations (Ref. 109), or IEEE Standard 1202, IEEE Standard for Flame Testing of Cables for Use in Cable Trays in Industrial and Commercial Occupancies (Ref. 110).6 (This does not imply that cables passing either test will not require additional fire protection.) For cable installations in operating plants and plants under construction before July 1, 1976, that do not meet the IEEE Standard 383 flame test requirements, all cables should be covered with an approved flame-retardant coating and properly derated or be protected by automatic suppression. Although cable coatings have been shown to reduce flame spread, coated cables are considered intervening combustibles when determining the protection requirements of Section III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50. Coated cables do not have higher damage

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 3 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc thresholds and, therefore, are not equivalent to IEEE 383 or IEEE 1202 cables. In addition, coated cables can and do ignite in fires.

The data and discussion presented in this report on flame propagation tests compares theoretical burner heat output, heat exposure time, and pass/fail criteria to determine the relative severity of the test standards. Each test was reviewed and compared to the vertical flame propagation test in the IEEE 383-1974 as a baseline to determine if testing conditions and/or passing criteria are comparable. Tests with lower burner heat outputs than the IEEE 383-1974 standard are very difficult to compare due to the difference in test sample size. These low heat exposure tests will be discussed but will not be directly compared to IEEE 383-1974. Below is a brief discussion of each flame test starting with the IEEE 383-1974 Flame Propagation Test (Baseline tests) and followed by flame spread tests ranked in decreasing order of severity.

Note: A flame propagation test procedure in one Standard could be included or referenced in another standard. This does not mean the two standards are the same; it means that the standard uses the same testing procedure for flame propagation testing. A standard might have other sections which have nothing to do with flame propagation, like smoke and aging test procedures, materials of construction, or markings, among other procedures and requirements. For this reason, the data was organized in terms of flame tests instead of individual Standards.

Test Ranking and Description IEEE 383-1974 is the baseline test the other tests will be compared. It is a 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat exposure, vertical test considered the minimum requirement of the US NRC to pass flame propagation criteria. As in all the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests discussed below, it has a 20 minute exposure time. This test requires cables to self extinguish before reaching top of the tray (8ft [2.44m]) to pass the test.

One of the most severe flame tests is the FT-6 Horizontal Flame Test included in the NFPA 262 and CSA C22.2 No. 0.3 standards. It is a horizontal flame test used for cables in plenum applications. This test uses a burner heat output of 86 kW (294000 BTU/hr). This test has one of the lowest acceptable damage lengths the second highest heat output and uses high air flow in its chamber during testing to increase flame spread. This combination of variables makes it one of the most rigorous tests for a sample to pass.

This is currently considered the most severe flame test.

The UL1666 Fire Riser Test is another of the more severe flame tests. It is a vertical test used for cables in riser shaft applications. It has the highest heat output of all the tests (154.5 kW [527500 Btu/hr]),

second highest exposure time (30 minutes) and high air flow in its chamber during testing. This test has an acceptable cable damage length of 12 ft (3.66m). Even though the damage criteria is less severe than the IEEE 383-1974 (12 ft vs. 8 ft), the higher exposed heat and time makes this test more severe.

The FT-4/Vertical Flame Test, included in standards IEEE 1202-1991, CSA C22.2 No. 0.3, UL 1685, and referenced in UL 1581, UL 44, and UL 83, is the most rigorous of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests. The testing conditions and equipment in all of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests are essentially the same. What makes this test the most difficult to pass of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests is its low acceptable damage length of 4.9ft (1.5m).

The IEEE 383-2003 standard Flame Test qualification cites: Cable shall be flame retardant in accordance with the requirements of IEEE Std 1202-1991 or NFPA 262-2002. Switchboard cables, coaxial, twinaxial, and triaxial cables shall as a minimum pass the UL VW-1 flame test. This citation is the only direction the IEEE 383-2003 standard gives on cable flame propagation testing. The IEEE organization superseded IEEE 383-1974 standard with IEEE 383-2003 in 2003. Still, the US NRC standards on flame propagation tests are IEEE 383-1974 or IEEE 1202-1991 as cited on the NRC documents previously discussed.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 4 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc The ICEA T-29-520 (issued by ICEA) standard is essentially the same as the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) IEEE 383-1974 tests except with a burner heat output of 62kW. In this test the distance acceptance criteria is the same as IEEE 383-1974: 8ft (2.44m). Cables tested using this test will meet or exceed performance of IEEE 383-1974 tested cables, and could have similar cable performance to tests like the FT-4/Vertical Flame Test.

The Vertical Flame Spread test (IEC 60332-3-21, IEC 60332-3-22 and IEC 60332-3-23) uses a burner of 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat output. In these tests, the recommended acceptance length of damage is 10.2 ft (3.1m) which is less rigorous than the 8 ft (2.44m) of acceptable damage of the IEEE 383-1974 standard, but the heat exposure time is 40 minutes which is twice the time exposed in IEEE 383-1974. In order to compare the severity of these IECs tests with IEEE 383-1974 test, the maximum average damage length (adl) per heat exposed time (het) was calculated. Assuming most of the damage will occur during flame application times, an average adl/het was calculated of 0.4 ft of damage/minute during the 20 minutes of flame application for the IEEE 383-1974 test and an average adl/het of 0.255 ft of damage/minute during the 40 minutes of flame application for the IEC tests. If these two values are compared, any sample which has an average adl/het during flame application greater than the calculated should fail the test. In this case, the IEC test will be more rigorous than the IEEE 383-1974.

The Vertical Tray Flame Test (UL 1581, 1685, 83, and 44) and Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (ICEA T-30-520) both use a burner with a 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat output. These two tests are very similar to the IEEE 383-1974. The three have the same acceptable damage length of 8 ft (2.44m) and require cables to self extinguish before reaching the top of the tray. Also, the heat exposure time is 20 minutes.

These tests have minor variations in procedure and equipment used.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 5 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Summary of Results Tables 1 and 2 below provide a summary of the testing methods that are more severe than IEEE 1202-1991 (Table 1) or more severe than IEEE 383-1974 (Table 2). Note that all test standards in Table 1 are also included in Table 2, since IEEE 1202-1991 is a more rigorous test method than IEEE 383-1974.

Table 1 More Severe Tests (Standards) than IEEE 1202-1991 Test Name (Test Type)

Cable Standard FT-/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

NFPA 262 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 CSA22.2 No. 0/3 IEEE 1202-1991 Flame test Qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 Table 2 More Severe Tests (Standards) than IEEE 383-1974 Test Name (Test Type)

Cable Standard FT-6/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

NFPA 262 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 IEEE 1202-1991 Flame Test Qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-29-520 Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-21 IEC 60332-3-22 IEC 60332-3-23 Vertical Tray Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-30-520 Flame Test (vertical)

IEEE 383-1974

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 6 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Conclusion Electrical cables tested in accordance with, and meeting the flame propagation acceptance criteria of one or more of the Test Standards listed in Table 2 should be considered to perform equal to, or better than if they were tested to in IEEE 383-1974. Low burner heat output tests discussed in this report are not recommended to be accepted due to the impractical nature of comparing these small scale screening test requirements (e.g. low thermal exposure, sample size, time exposure and acceptance criteria) to the US NRC minimum accepted test methods and acceptance criteria of larger scale IEEE 383-1974.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 7 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Supporting Documentation Cable Flame Propagation Tests

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 8 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Purpose The purpose of this report is to evaluate currently recognized flame propagation tests to the IEEE 383-1974 Standard, the US NRC minimum test standard and acceptance criteria for cable flame propagation tests.

References US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Documents

1. Regulatory Guide 1.189 Fire Protection for Nuclear Power Plants; March 2007; Rev 1.
2. NUREG-0800 Standard Review Plan Sec 9.5.1: Fire Protection System; October 2003; Rev 4, (Formerly NUREG-75/087 March 1979).
3. Guidelines for Fire Protection for Nuclear Power Plants; Branch Technical Position ASB 9.5-1; May 1976.
4. Guidelines for Fire Protection for Nuclear Power Plants; Branch Technical Position ASB 9.5-1; Rev 1; March 1978.
5. Recommended Fire Protection Policy and Program Actions (GL 85-01); October 26, 1984.
6. NRC Positions on Certain Requirements of Appendix R to 10CFR50 (GL 83-33); October 1983.

Internet & Cable Companies Resources

7. Anixter Wire & Cable Handbook; Wire & Cable Group Anixter Inc; 3rd Ed; 1996.
8. Fire Tests; Anixter File F-3; Wire & Cable Group Anixter Inc; Aug 2000.
9. UL Wire & Cable Flammability Testing; Underwriters Laboratories Inc; www.ul.com/fire/wire.html
10. Vertical Cable Tray Flame Tests; Nexans Canada Inc; www.nexans.ca/egy/tecdoc/9.htm
11. Belden Standards Reference Guide; Belden Inc; www.belden.com
12. UL Flame Test Descriptions; Huber Suhner Group; www.hubersuhner.com
13. Cable Flame Tests; Houston Wire & Cable Company; www.houwire.com
14. Cable Fire Tests; Presentation by Marcelo M. Hirscher; GBH International; www.fire.tc.faa.gov and http://155.178.136.36/ppt/materials/CableFireTests.ppt
15. Plenum Cable: Proven Safety & Performance; Presentation by Carson W.G. and Zicherman J.B.; The Vinyl Institute; http://www.vinylinfo.org/

Industry Standards

16. NFPA 805: Performance-Based Standard for Fire Protection for Light Water Reactor Electric Generating Plants; 2001 Ed.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 9 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Abbreviations & Definitions:

AHJ: Authority Having Jurisdiction ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials CSA: Canadian Standards Association ICEA: Insulated Cable Engineers Association IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers FM: Factory Mutual Global NFPA: National Fire Protection Association TC: Thermocouple UL: Underwriters Laboratories US NRC: United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Heat exposure or burner heat output: Theoretical heat release rate of the burner.

Heat exposed time (het): Total time the flame is applied to the sample Max average damage length (adl): Max or acceptable damage length of the test

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 10 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Discussion & Analysis Several NRC documents, cited in this section, include the requirements for flame propagation for existing or new electrical cables. In general, these documents refer to the IEEE 383-1974 and/or IEEE 1202-1991 flame tests as the NRC accepted test standards for flame propagation. Below is a list of NRC related documents that cite IEEE 383-1974 test as minimum acceptance requirements for flame propagation.

Even though these documents may apply to Nuclear Power Plants constructed during different time periods, the standard flame propagation tests accepted to the US NRC are still basically the same.

NFPA 805 (2001 Edition) section 3.3.5.3 states that electric cable construction shall comply with a flame propagation test as acceptable to the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), which in the US Nuclear Industry, is the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC). Below are the US NRC documents which refer to the flame propagation test acceptable to the AHJ.

NUREG-0800 (Rev 4, Oct 2003) states that Electrical cables should meet flame test criteria of IEEE 383 or 1202, or be provided with alternative protection as allowed by the specific plant licensing and/or design basis (See Regulatory Guide 1.189).

Appendix A to Branch Technical Position (BTP) APCSB 9.5-1 states that electric cable constructions should, as a minimum, pass the flame test in the current IEEE 383. It also states that for cable installation in operating plants and plants under construction that do not meet the IEEE 383 flame test requirements, all cables must be covered with an approved flame retardant coating and properly derated.

Reg Guide 1.189 (Rev 1, Mar 2007) states that Electric cable construction should pass the flame test in IEEE Standard 383, IEEE Standard for Type Test of Class IE Electric Cables, Field Splices, and Connections for Nuclear Power Generating Stations (Ref. 109), or IEEE Standard 1202, IEEE Standard for Flame Testing of Cables for Use in Cable Trays in Industrial and Commercial Occupancies (Ref. 110).6 (This does not imply that cables passing either test will not require additional fire protection.) For cable installations in operating plants and plants under construction before July 1, 1976, that do not meet the IEEE Standard 383 flame test requirements, all cables should be covered with an approved flame-retardant coating and properly derated or be protected by automatic suppression. Although cable coatings have been shown to reduce flame spread, coated cables are considered intervening combustibles when determining the protection requirements of Section III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50. Coated cables do not have higher damage thresholds and, therefore, are not equivalent to IEEE 383 or IEEE 1202 cables. In addition, coated cables can and do ignite in fires.

The data and discussion presented in this report on flame propagation tests compares theoretical burner heat output, heat exposure time, and pass/fail criteria to determine the relative severity of the test standards. Each test was reviewed and compared to the vertical flame propagation test in the IEEE 383-1974 as a baseline to determine if testing conditions and/or passing criteria are comparable. Tests with lower burner heat outputs than the IEEE 383-1974 standard are very difficult to compare due to the difference in test sample size. These low heat exposure tests will be discussed but will not be directly compared to IEEE 383-1974. Below is a brief discussion of each flame test starting with the IEEE 383-1974 Flame Propagation Test (Baseline tests) and followed by flame spread tests ranked in decreasing order of severity.

Note: A flame propagation test procedure in one Standard could be included or referenced in another standard. This does not mean the two standards are the same; it means that the standard uses the same testing procedure for flame propagation testing. A standard might have other sections which have nothing to do with flame propagation, like smoke and aging test procedures, materials of construction, or markings, among other procedures and requirements. For this reason, the data was organized in terms of

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 11 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc flame tests instead of individual Standards. Please refer to Attachment 3, where tests included in various standards are discussed and commentated.

Test Ranking and Description IEEE 383-1974 is the baseline test the other tests will be compared. It is a 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat exposure, vertical test considered the minimum requirement of the US NRC to pass flame propagation criteria. As in all the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests discussed below, it has a 20 minute exposure time. This test requires cables to self extinguish before reaching top of the tray (8ft [2.44m]) to pass the test.

One of the most severe flame tests is the FT-6 Horizontal Flame Test included in the NFPA 262 and CSA C22.2 No. 0.3 standards. It is a horizontal flame test used for cables in plenum applications. This test uses a burner heat output of 86 kW (294000 BTU/hr). This test has one of the lowest acceptable damage lengths the second highest heat output and uses high air flow in its chamber during testing to increase flame spread. This combination of variables makes it one of the most rigorous tests for a sample to pass.

This is currently considered the most severe flame test.

The UL1666 Fire Riser Test is another of the more severe flame tests. It is a vertical test used for cables in riser shaft applications. It has the highest heat output of all the tests (154.5 kW [527500 Btu/hr]),

second highest exposure time (30 minutes) and high air flow in its chamber during testing. This test has an acceptable cable damage length of 12 ft (3.66m). Even though the damage criteria is less severe than the IEEE 383-1974 (12 ft vs. 8 ft), the higher exposed heat and time makes this test more severe.

The FT-4/Vertical Flame Test, included in standards IEEE 1202-1991, CSA C22.2 No. 0.3, UL 1685, and referenced in UL 1581, UL 44, and UL 83, is the most rigorous of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests. The testing conditions and equipment in all of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests are essentially the same. What makes this test the most difficult to pass of the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) tests is its low acceptable damage length of 4.9ft (1.5m).

The IEEE 383-2003 standard Flame Test qualification cites: Cable shall be flame retardant in accordance with the requirements of IEEE Std 1202-1991 or NFPA 262-2002. Switchboard cables, coaxial, twinaxial, and triaxial cables shall as a minimum pass the UL VW-1 flame test. This citation is the only direction the IEEE 383-2003 standard gives on cable flame propagation testing. The IEEE organization superseded IEEE 383-1974 standard with IEEE 383-2003 in 2003. Still, the US NRC standards on flame propagation tests are IEEE 383-1974 or IEEE 1202-1991 as cited on the NRC documents previously discussed.

The ICEA T-29-520 (issued by ICEA) standard is essentially the same as the 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) IEEE 383-1974 tests except with a burner heat output of 62kW. In this test the distance acceptance criteria is the same as IEEE 383-1974: 8ft (2.44m). Cables tested using this test will meet or exceed performance of IEEE 383-1974 tested cables, and could have similar cable performance to tests like the FT-4/Vertical Flame Test.

The Vertical Flame Spread test (IEC 60332-3-21, IEC 60332-3-22 and IEC 60332-3-23) uses a burner of 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat output. In these tests, the recommended acceptance length of damage is 10.2 ft (3.1m) which is less rigorous than the 8 ft (2.44m) of acceptable damage of the IEEE 383-1974 standard, but the heat exposure time is 40 minutes which is twice the time exposed in IEEE 383-1974. In order to compare the severity of these IECs tests with IEEE 383-1974 test, the maximum average damage length (adl) per heat exposed time (het) was calculated. Assuming most of the damage will occur during flame application times, an average adl/het was calculated of 0.4 ft of damage/minute during the 20 minutes of flame application for the IEEE 383-1974 test and an average adl/het of 0.255 ft of damage/minute during the 40 minutes of flame application for the IEC tests. If these two values are compared, any sample which has an average adl/het during flame application greater than the calculated should fail the test. In this case, the IEC test will be more rigorous than the IEEE 383-1974.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 12 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc The Vertical Tray Flame Test (UL 1581, 1685, 83, and 44) and Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (ICEA T-30-520 [issued by ICEA]) both use a burner with a 20kW (70000 BTU/hr) heat output. These two tests are very similar to the IEEE 383-1974. The three have the same acceptable damage length of 8 ft (2.44m) and require cables to self extinguish before reaching the top of the tray. Also, the heat exposure time is 20 minutes. These tests have minor variations in procedure and equipment used. IEEE 817-1993 Flame Test is mainly used to determine whether cables need to be coated or not. It does not have pass/fail criteria. If cable damage reaches the top of the tray, the cable is recommended to be coated.

The IEC 60332-3-24 standard is very similar to IEEE 383-1974 but has less strict acceptance criteria.

This test has the same burner heat output and exposure time as IEEE 383-1974 but has an acceptable damage length of 10.2ft (3.1m) making the test less severe.

Note that the IEC 60332-3-10 standard is the description of the apparatus used in the IEC 60332-3-21, IEC 60332-3-22, IEC 60332-3-23, and IEC 60332-3-24 standards discussed above and not an actual test.

Low Intensity Test Methods The tests discussed below have burner heat outputs equal to or lower than, 1kW (3400 BTU/hr). It is not prudent to compare these methods to IEEE 383-1974 due to the vast difference in test samples and burner heat outputs. These low heat exposure tests will be discussed for completeness of this report, but will not be directly compared to the IEEE 383-1974 baseline Standard.

Vertical Flame Propagation Tests (IEC 60332-1-2 and IEC 60332-1-3) are both 1kW (3400 BTU/hr) of heat exposure (Burner Heat Output) tests. Both exposure times vary from 1-8 minutes, depending on the sample diameter. IEC 60332-1-2 requires more than 50mm (1.97in) of distance between the lower edge of the top support and the onset of charring and less than 540mm (21.26in) from the lower edge to the top support. IEC 60332-1-3 requires that the filter paper used as indicator does not ignite during the test.

The four 500W (1700 BTU/hr) tests are very similar in terms of heat exposure time and passing criteria.

These tests are: the VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test (UL 1581 and CSA C22.2 No.0.3, and referenced in UL 83 and UL 44), the FT-1 Vertical Flame Test (UL 1581 and CSA 22.2 No.0.3 and referenced in UL83 and UL44), Flame Test (ICEA S-61-402), and the FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test (UL 1581 and CSA 22.2 No.0.3, and referenced in UL 83, and UL 44). The first three are vertical flame tests and have exposure times of 75 seconds total with different time intervals between heat applications. The three are very similar and require that samples do not burn more than 60 seconds or burn less than 25% of the indicator and/or cotton batting. The FT-2 test is a horizontal test with a heat exposure time of 30 seconds and requires that the cable self-extinguishes and that no flaming particles ignite cotton under specimen.

The ASTM D5537-03 Standard Test Method for Flame Spread is used to determine the heat release rate by measuring gas concentrations and flow. It also measures Flame Propagation by blistering and char length. This test does not have any acceptance criteria.

The FM 3972 Test Standard for Cable Fire Propagation is used to calculate a Fire Propagation Index to classify cable fire propagation characteristics. In the test procedure, a pilot flame is used to ignite the cables. After that, the flame is extinguished and heaters are used until the cable self-extinguishes.

Measurements of the combustion gas concentrations and flow, time, and heat release rate are used to calculate the Fire Propagation Index. This test does not have any acceptance criteria.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 13 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Summary of Results Tables 1 and 2 below provide a summary of the testing methods that are more severe than IEEE 1202-1991 (Table 1) or more severe than IEEE 383-1974 (Table 2). Note that all test standards in Table 1 are also included in Table 2, since IEEE 1202-1991 is a more rigorous test method than IEEE 383-1974.

Table 1 More Severe Tests (Standards) than IEEE 1202-1991 Test Name (Test Type)

Cable Standard FT-/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

NFPA 262 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 CSA22.2 No. 0/3 IEEE 1202-1991 Flame test Qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 Table 2 More Severe Tests (Standards) than IEEE 383-1974 Test Name (Test Type)

Cable Standard FT-6/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

NFPA 262 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 IEEE 1202-1991 Flame Test Qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-29-520 Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-21 IEC 60332-3-22 IEC 60332-3-23 Vertical Tray Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-30-520 Flame Test (vertical)

IEEE 383-1974

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 14 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Conclusion Electrical cables tested in accordance with, and meeting the flame propagation acceptance criteria of one or more of the Test Standards listed in Table 2 should be considered to perform equal to, or better than if they were tested to in IEEE 383-1974. Low burner heat output tests discussed in this report are not recommended to be accepted due to the impractical nature of comparing these small scale screening test requirements (e.g. low thermal exposure, sample size, time exposure and acceptance criteria) to the US NRC minimum accepted test methods and acceptance criteria of larger scale IEEE 383-1974.

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 15 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc :

Cable Standards and Respective Flame Tests Test Title (Test Type)

Standard Standard Title NFPA 262 Standard Method of Test for Flame Travel and Smoke of Wires and Cables for Use in Air-Handling spaces (2007 Ed)

FT-6/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables (Jan 2005)

Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 Test for Flame Propagation Height of Electrical and Optical Fiber Cables Installed Vertically in Shafts (4th Ed Nov 2000 Revisions thru Jul 2002)

UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords (4th Ed Oct 2001 Revisions thru Aug 2006)

UL 1685 Vertical-Tray Fire-Propagation and Smoke-Release Test for Electrical and Fiber Optical-Fiber Cables (2nd Ed Feb 1997 Revisions thru Nov 2000)

UL 83 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables (13th Ed Nov 2003 Revisions thru Apr 2006)

UL 44 Thermo set-Insulated Wires and Cables (16th Ed Jul 2005 Revisions thru Nov 2005)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables (Jan 2005)

FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

IEEE 1202-1991 IEEE Standard for Flame Testing of Cables for Use in Cable Tray in Industrial and Commercial Occupancies (1991)

Flame Test qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 IEEE Standard for Qualifying Class 1E Electric Cables and Field Splices for Nuclear Power Generating Stations (2003; Revision of IEEE 383-1974)

Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-29-520 Conducting Vertical Cable Tray Flame Tests with Theoretical Heat Input Rate of 210000 Btu/hr (Sep 1986)

IEC 60332-3-21 IEC 60332-3-22 Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-23 Tests on Electric Cables Under Fire Conditions Parts 3-21 to 23:

Test for Vertical Flame Spread of Vertically-Mounted Bunched Wires or Cables: Category A (F/R), A&B (Oct 2000)

UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords (4th Ed Oct 2001 Revisions thru Aug 2006)

UL 83 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables (13th Ed Nov 2003 Revisions thru Apr 2006)

UL 44 Thermo set-Insulated Wires and Cables (16th Ed Jul 2005 Revisions thru Nov 2005)

Vertical Tray Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1685 Vertical-Tray Fire-Propagation and Smoke-Release Test for Electrical and Fiber Optical-Fiber Cables (2nd Ed Feb 1997 Revisions thru Nov 2000)

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 16 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Test Title (Test Type)

Standard Standard Title Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-30-520 Guide for Conducting Vertical Cable Tray Flame Tests with Theoretical Heat Input of 70000 Btu/hr (Sep 1986)

Flame Test (vertical)

IEEE 383-1974 IEEE Standard for Type Test of Class 1E Electric Cables, Field Splices, and Connections for Nuclear Power Generating Stations (1974)

Flame Test (vertical)

IEEE 817-1993 IEEE Standard Test Procedure for Flame-Retardant Coatings Applied to Insulated Cables in Cable Trays (1993)

Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-24 Tests on Electric Cables Under Fire Conditions Parts 3-21 thru 23: Test for Vertical Flame Spread of Vertically-Mounted Bunched Wires or Cables: Category C (Oct2000)

Vertical Flame Propagation (vertical)

IEC 60332-1-2 Test for Vertical Flame Propagation for a Single Insulated Wire or Cable - Procedure for 1 kW pre-mixed (2004-07)

Vertical Flame Propagation (vertical)

IEC 60332-1-3 Test for Vertical Flame Propagation for a Single Insulated Wire or Cable - Procedure for determination of flaming droplets/particles (2004-07)

UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords (4th Ed Oct 2001 Revisions thru Aug 2006)

UL 83 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables (13th Ed Nov 2003 Revisions thru Apr 2006)

UL 44 Thermo set-Insulated Wires and Cables (16th Ed Jul 2005 Revisions thru Nov 2005)

VW-1 Vertical Wire flame Test (vertical)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables (Jan 2005)

UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords (4th Ed Oct 2001 Revisions thru Aug 2006)

UL 83 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables (13th Ed Nov 2003 Revisions thru Apr 2006)

UL 44 Thermo set-Insulated Wires and Cables (16th Ed Jul 2005 Revisions thru Nov 2005)

FT-1 Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables (Jan 2005)

Flame Test (vertical)

IPCEA S-61-402 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wire and Cable for the Transmission and Distribution of Electrical Energy (Oct1994)

UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables and Flexible Cords (4th Ed Oct 2001 Revisions thru Aug 2006)

UL 83 Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables (13th Ed Nov 2003 Revisions thru Apr 2006)

UL 44 Thermo set-Insulated Wires and Cables (16th Ed Jul 2005 Revisions thru Nov 2005)

FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test (horizontal)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables (Jan 2005)

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 17 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Test Title (Test Type)

Standard Standard Title Standard Test Method for flame Spread (vertical)

ASTM D5537-03 Standard Test Method for Heat Release, Flame Spread Smoke Obscuration, and Mass Loss Testing of Insulating Materials Contained in Electrical or Optical Fiber Cables When Burning in a Vertical Cable Tray Configuration (Ded2003)

Fire Propagation Test FM 3972 Test Standard for Cable Fire Propagation (Mar1994)

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 18 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Testing conditions and acceptance criteria Acceptance Criteria Test Exposure Conditions Test Name (Test Type)

Test Standard Acceptable Damage Length Other Acceptance Criteria Burner Heat Output Exposure time FT-6/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

NFPA 262 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 5 ft.

(1.5m)

Max temperature shall be 542o F (267o C) 86 kW (294000 Btu/hr) 20 min Fire Test (Riser/vertical)

UL 1666 12 ft.

(3.66m)

Any TC shall not exceed 850o F (454.4o C) 154.5 kW (527500 Btu/hr) 30 min FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 1685 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 IEEE 1202-1991 4.9 ft.

(1.5m)

N/A 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Flame test qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 Refers user to IEEE 1202-1991 or NFPA 262 flame propagation test procedure.

Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-29-520 8 ft.

(2.44m)

Cables that self extinguish pass the test; fail if the flame propagates to the total height of the tray (8 ft.)(2.44m) 62 kW (210000 Btu/hr) 20 min Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-21 IEC 60332-3-22 IEC 60332-3-23 10.2 ft.

(3.1m)

N/A 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 40 min Vertical Tray Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 83 UL 44 UL 1685 8 ft.

(2.44m)

Requires cable to self extinguish before reaching top of the tray.

20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Vertical Cable Tray Flame Test (vertical)

ICEA T-30-520 8 ft.

(2.44m)

Cable damage shall not extend to the top of the tray (8 ft.)(2.44m) 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Flame test (vertical)

IEEE 383-1974 8 ft.

(2.44m)

Cables that self extinguish pass the test; fail if the flame propagates to the total height of the tray (8 ft.)(2.44m) 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Flame test (vertical)

IEEE 817-1993 N/A When flame is removed the cable needs to self-extinguish.

Uncoated cables that burn to the top of the tray are suitable for testing coatings.

20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-24 10.2 ft.

(3.1m)

N/A 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Vertical Flame Propagation (vertical)

IEC 60332-1-2 N/A Requires more than 50 mm (1.97in.) of distance between the lower edge of the top support and the onset of charring and less than 540mm (21.26in.) from the lower edge to the top support 1 kW (3400 Btu/hr) 1-8 min (depends on sample diameter)

Vertical Flame Propagation (vertical)

IEC 60332-1-3 N/A Requires that the filter paper does not ignite during the test.

1 kW (3400 Btu/hr) 1-8 min (depends on sample diameter)

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 19 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Acceptance Criteria Test Exposure Conditions Test Name (Test Type)

Test Standard Acceptable Damage Length Other Acceptance Criteria Burner Heat Output Exposure time VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 N/A If sample burns for more than 60 sec the sample fails the test. If 25% or more of the cotton batting or indicator flag burns the cable fails test.

500 W (1700 Btu/hr) 75 sec (flame applied 5 times of 15 sec with time intervals of no more than 60 sec)

FT-1 Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 N/A If sample burns for more than 60 sec the sample fails the test. If 25% or more of the cotton batting or indicator flag burns the cable fails test.

500 W (1700 Btu/hr) 75 sec (flame applied 5 times of 15 sec with time intervals of no more than 60 sec)

Flame Test (vertical)

IPCEA S-61-402 N/A If sample burns for more than 60 sec the sample fails the test. If 25% or more of the cotton batting or indicator flag burns the cable fails test.

500 W (1700 Btu/hr) 75 sec (flame applied 5 times for 15 sec with time intervals between applications)

FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test (horizontal)

UL 1581 UL 83 UL 44 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 N/A No flaming particles shall drop from the specimen causing the cotton under the specimen to ignite and the cable should self-extinguish.

500 W (1700 Btu/hr) 30 sec Standard Test Method for Flame spread (vertical)

ASTM D5537-03 N/A N/A 20 kW (70000 Btu/hr) 20 min Fire Propagation Test (vertical)

FM 3972 N/A Until cable self-extinguish 50 kW (175000 Btu/hr)

  • (heater output)

FAQ Number 06-0022 FAQ Revision 2

FAQ Title Acceptable Electrical Cable Construction Tests Page 20 of 20 faq 06-0022 rev 2.doc Comments on Flame Propagation Tests included in more than one standard Test Name (Test Type)

Cable Standard Comments NFPA 262 This std includes procedure and requirements of the FT-6/Horizontal Flame Travel Test FT-6/Flame Travel Test (horizontal)

CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 The Std. refers (sends) user to use FT-6/Horizontal Flame Travel Test Procedure in NFPA 262 Std.

IEEE 1202-1991 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 sec 4.11.4 & App A UL 1685 sec 12-19 These stds. Include procedure and requirements of the FT-4/Vertical Flame Test FT-4/Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 44 sec 5.14.6 & 8.14.6 UL 83 sec 5.12.5, 5.12.6.3

& 8.12.5 UL 1581 sec 1164 These stds. Refer (send) user to use FT-4/IEEE 1202 Vertical Tray Flame Test procedure in UL 1685 or CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 Stds.

Flame Test Qualification (vertical)

IEEE 383-2003 This std. refers (sends) user to use Flame Tests procedure of NFPA 262 (horizontal flame test) or IEEE 1202-1991 (vertical flame test) stds.

Vertical Flame Spread (vertical)

IEC 60332-3-21 IEC 60332-3-22 IEC 60332-3-23 These tests follow the same procedure and apparatus in IEC 60332-3-10 Std. but the requirements apply to different category cables A (F/R), B and C.

UL 1685 sec 4-11 UL 44 sec 5.14.5 & 8.14.5 UL 83 sec 5.12.6.2 &

8.12.6.1 These stds. include procedure and requirements of the Vertical Tray Flame Test (also called UL Flame Exposure)

Vertical Tray Flame Test (vertical)

UL 1581 sec 1160 This Std. refers (send) user to use Vertical Tray Flame Test in UL 1685. std.

UL 1581 sec 1080 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 sec 4.11.7 & App A & D This std. includes procedure and requirements of the VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test (vertical)

UL 44 sec 5.14.4 & 8.14.4 UL 83 sec 8.12.1 & 8.12.3 This Std. refers (sends) user to use VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test in UL 1581 or CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 stds.

UL 1581 sec 1060 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 sec 4.11.1 & App A This std. includes procedure and requirements of the FT-1 Vertical Flame Test FT-1 Vertical Flame Test (vertical)

UL 44 sec 5.14.3 & 8.14.3 UL 83 sec 8.12.2 This std. refers (sends) user to use FT-1 Vertical Flame Test in UL 1581 or CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 stds.

UL 1581 sec 1100 CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 sec 4.11.2 & App A This std. includes procedure and requirements of the FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test (horizontal)

UL 44 sec 5.14.1 & 8.14.1 UL 83 sec 8.12.3.2 This Std. refers (sends) user to use FT-2 Horizontal Flame Test in UL 1581 or CSA 22.2 No. 0.3 stds.

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