Cold-Resistance Characteristics and Adequacy of Low-Temperature Test Standards of Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Abstract

In this study, we considered domestic and international standards to experimentally evaluate and analyze the cold-resistance characteristics of carbon monoxide alarms and assess the suitability of low-temperature test standards. The analyzed standards include the technical standards for type approval and product inspection of gas leak detectors, specifically KS C 6596, Britain's BS EN 50291-1, and Japan's JIA E 001-07. We found that the technical standards specify a temperature of –20 °C for 1 h; those for KS C 6596 are –10 °C for 2 h; those for Britain’s BS EN 50291-1 are –10 °C for 6 h; and those for Japan’s JIA E 001-07 follow suit. We inferred that the low-temperature test of the technical standards for type approval and product inspection of gas leak detectors required the highest cold resistance. Furthermore, we experimented on samples from two domestic manufacturers, employing the low-temperature test standards deduced from the standard analysis to examine their characteristics. All test samples operated normally when subjected to a temperature of –20 °C for 1 to 4 h, and similarly maintained normal operation at –10 °C for 6 and 24 h. These findings indicate that the carbon monoxide alarms certified in Korea have a high cold resistance. Additionally, this study entailed a review of the low-temperature test standards for carbon monoxide alarms by analyzing the temperature conditions of apartment verandas, where these alarms are predominantly installed. Based on the results, the cold resistance tended to be high using the low-temperature test standards for carbon monoxide alarms. The findings of this research can serve as a valuable reference for future revisions of low-temperature test standards.