In 2024, electrical fires accounted for nearly one-third of all fire incidents in China. Among them, fault arcs, poor contact, and overload are important causes. Understanding complex electrical fire ignition and evolution mechanisms can help take targeted measures to enhance fire prevention and control capabilities. Therefore, relevant topic has attracted extensive attention from scholars and engineering technicians over the world.

Prof. Shouxiang Lu's team, from SKLFS, constructed multiple electrical fault models and corresponding ignition test methods, elucidating the ignition behaviors of electrical components such as cables and connectors by fault arcs and poor contact. They revealed the ignition probability and dominant heat transfer mechanisms, and established predictive models for ignition time and critical ignition power. And team member Dr. Jin Lin is currently working on formulating the IEC standard for arc ignition test method. The researches provide a fundamental support for electrical fire risk assessment and prevention technology development. The associated work has been published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection and Fire Safety Journal, and five invention patents have been authorized.

Ignition by Poor Contact and Fault Arcs. (a) Analysis of a typical three-stage fault ignition process caused by poor connection of the electrical connector. (b) Typical temperature and electrical signal changes caused by poor connection. (c) TG-FTIR test results of the sample insulating material. (d) Image-based data cleaning algorithm process. (e)Snapshots of ignition with two-stage flaming by arc at supplied currents. (f) Flaming ignition probability with arc energy. (g)Effects of arc current on inverse of ignition time based on experimental results.