UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
España, Manila

Ranada, Christian L. PE4 2/14/20

5EEB
Flame Retardant Cables

The flame retardant cable concept is a cable that will not transmit or spread a flame as specified by the
flame retardant or propagation tests.

Flame retardant tests measure the movement of flames for both vertical and horizontal applications. There
are also absolute cable flame checks for use in ducts, plenums or other spaces used for the delivery of
ambient air. The NFPA 262 is the same as CSAFT-6; in a simulated air handling plenum, it tests the spread
of flames and the production of smoke. Cables that are used in plenums must have a more rigorous test
than the horizontal or vertical flame tests.

Retardant is described as a material that has been chemically treated for self-extinguishing. Flame
retardant cable is not allowed to continue to operate under fire circumstances, but will resist the spread of
fire to a new area by operating in a fire under specified conditions as demonstrated by passing the test as
per IEC 60332. It also supports the instrument loop that runs in a fail-safe mode. Distinguishing the outer
sheath color is critical in terms of cable production. The flame retardant may have the outer sheath / jacket
grey or black.

Main features:

1. Ordinary flame retardant cable

The cable can produce large amounts of corrosive gasses and smoke during combustion in the event of a
fire, and can be used in general cases with low flame retardant requirements. The flammability has four
types A, B, C, D and its cable models are paired with ZRA-(or ZA-), ZRB-(or ZB-), ZRC-(or ZC-), and ZRD-(or
ZD-), respectively, before ordinary cable models. The fire time for Class A and Class B fire tests is 40
minutes, and the fire time for Class C and Class D fire tests is 20 minutes and the charring height is no more
than 2.5 m.

2. Low-halogen flame-retardant cable

Before the ordinary line of XLPE insulated cables, the cable variant is connected with DDZ- (or DL-).
Halogenic acid gas emission < 100 mg / g, smoke density (transmittance) > 30%, it meets the Class C flame
retardation criteria of the burning test group.

In addition to keeping the flame retardant cable's general characteristics and electrical properties, it also

has the following characteristics:

a. High emission of halogen acid gases;

b. Low corrosion;

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 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
España, Manila

c. The less smoke generated.

3. Low smoke zero halogen

Features:

a. No release of halogen-acid gas;

b. Small amount of fuming;

c. The less corrosive gas produced is;

d. Good flammable properties.

e. To satisfy the operational specifications for the cable it has certain mechanical and physical and
electrical properties. It is commonly used in nuclear power stations, subway stations, telephone switches
and computer control centres, high-rise plants, buildings, hotels, radio and television stations, major military
bases, oil platforms, etc.

All-emission halogen acid gas 0 mg / g, pH of about 4.3, conductivity of about 10 us / mm, toxicity level
about 5. It meets the requirements of Class C flame retardance, smoke density (transmittance) at least 60%
from the group burning test.

The cable versions include WDZYJY, WDZ-YJY23, WDZ-YJY33, WDZ-YJY43, WDZ-YJE23, WDZ-YJE33,
WDZ-YJE43 or WL-YJE, WL-YJL23, WL-YJL33, which WL-YJL43, and can suit flame retardant levels A, B, C,
D, such as WDZA-.

4. Oxygen-barrier cable

A coating of non-melting, non-flammable, halogen-free, smoke-free fire-resistant plastic material is

filled or wrapped between the insulated cable core and the cable sheath, i.e. organic insulation is used to
separate the cable from the outside oxygen gas in such a way that the cable is non-combustible or
flammable.

It meets and exceeds the specifications of Class A flame retardant from the community burning test,
and the smoke density (transmittance) is equal to or similar to the national standard GB / T17651-2008 and
low smoke international standard IEC61034.

This attaches the cable interface with GZR- before the ordinary cable model.

References:

1. ANIXER. (n.d.). Flame-Retardant Cable vs. Fire-Rated/Resistive Cable. Retrieved from

https://www.anixter.com/en_us/resources/literature/wire-wisdom/flame-retardant-cable-vs--fire-
rated-resistive-cable.html
2. CheowSenior, E. (2017, January 11). Comparing between Fire resistant and Flame retardant.
Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/comparing-between-fire-resistant-flame-
retardant-edwin-cheow

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 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
España, Manila

3. Nexans. (n.d.). Flame retardant and fire resistant cable. Retrieved from
https://www.nexans.cn/eservice/China-
en/navigate_314977/Flame_retardant_and_fire_resistant_cable.html
4. Tratos. (2020, February 4). Flame Retardant and Fire Resistant Cables. Retrieved from
https://tratosgroup.com/news/flame-retardant-vs-fire-resistant-cable/

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