Tests of Fire Circuit Breakers (FCBs) to Assess Their Suitability for Use in Construction Objects

Abstract

A fire circuit breaker (FCB) is dedicated to emergency services that can cut off the flow of electricity to all circuits, except for circuits supplying installations and equipment, the functioning of which is necessary during a fire. Theoretical research shows that there are no comprehensive studies on the FCB systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of the components used (activating, signalling and executive devices) on the functionality of the entire FCB system (signal transmission time, actuation time, signalling, operational safety and resistance to various environmental conditions). This study proposes a new test scheme to evaluate the functionality of the entire FCB system, not just their individual components, which are widely known and used by electricians. However, it is only by combining them into a system, taking into account the requirements for firefighting equipment used by firefighters, that a completely new product is created. The new test scheme was properly validated by conducting a series of tests on several systems, consisting of multiple components (activating, signalling and executive devices). The tests carried out confirmed the validity of the assumptions made for the test methods and demonstrated the strong influence of the components (actuators, signalling and execution devices) on the functionality of the entire FCB system.