Electrical Transformer Fire and Explosion Protection
Ideal Fire Protection
Factors to be taken into account when considering transformer fire containment include the rapid, prolonged and extreme temperature phase transformations, the age of the T&D system, the sensitivity of the surrounding environment, and the explosive projectile blast potentials. Given these factors, the ideal transformer fire containment solution is a firewall and blast barrier that is manufactured using refractory concrete and will not only perform at the prolonged high temperatures typically found in an oil fire, but will simultaneously perform as a projectile blast barrier. While refractory concrete firewalls can be poured or cast in place, precast refractory concrete offers several advantages and benefits over cast in place concrete. Cast in place concrete firewalls involve extended cure times, labor intensive forming, and unreliable weather conditions that affect concrete mix quality. Precast refractory concrete firewalls are pre-manufactured in a controlled environment resulting in consistent mix quality, can be delivered and installed often in one day, and are "in service" within hours.
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Initial transformer fire ignites neighboring transformer Photo courtesy of Alonso Rodriguez |
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Understanding the potential for failure as well as the dangers and conditions present in an electrical transformer fire will provide the tools for identifying the most effective fire containment solutions available to keep transformer fires in their place.
| ENDNOTES | |
| 1 | Lloyd's of London 08-24-2010 Transformers-A Risk to Keeping the Power On |
| 2 | William H. Bartley, Analysis of Transformer Failures, Presented at Stockholm, 2003 |
| 3 | Edward N. Ziegler, Encyclopedia Of Environmental Science And Engineering, Volume 1 |
| 4 | ThermaLimits Substation Fire Hazard Conditions and Potential Consequences |
| 5 | United States Patent 3,798,043 Wallouch High Strength Refractory Concrete |
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