Green concepts are deeply rooted in people's hearts, whether it is food or daily necessities. More and more people are choosing to use environmentally friendly products. In many places, this cable project will use low-smoke and halogen-free cables for fire protection, monitoring, and alarm. LSZH is cable jacket. Usually, what people call environmentally friendly cables does not mean low-smoke halogen-free cables. The following is a detailed analysis of the differences between ecological cables and low-smoke halogen-free cables. Let's see next.
1. What is low smoke halogen-free cable?
LSZH cable is a low smoke zero halogen cable. As the name suggests, the halogen-free cable standard means low smoke, which means reducing the generation of harmful substances during combustion. It is halogen-free. As we all know, halogen is a toxic gas for the human body. Halogen-free means it no longer releases toxic gases. Typically, this situation refers to what happens when a fire breaks out in a cable. Low-smoke zero-halogen cables can also be called environmentally friendly cables. Low-smoke halogen-free cables are mostly used in hospitals and places with strict environmental hygiene requirements.
2. What does low smoke halogen-free cable mean?
Low-smoke, halogen-free cables are cables whose sheaths and insulation are made of materials that produce low-smoke, non-toxic halogens under fire or high temperatures. Halogen is chlorine, bromine or iodine. These cables are used in applications where toxic fumes or toxic gases may be produced when the cable jacket burns.
LSZH cables are rated based on the high temperatures that release these toxic gases. The higher the temperature rating, the longer the cable will take to release these gases. LSZH cable stands for Low Smoke Zero Halogen. The main advantage of this cable is that it does not produce toxic fumes when burned, unlike other PVC cables.
The most common use of low-smoke halogen-free cables is in power distribution systems, where overheating can lead to fire or explosion if adequate safety measures are not taken.
LSZH cable has been produced since the late 1960s, but due to its cost (more expensive than PVC) and difficulty in manufacturing, it has only recently become widely available. However, since they do not contain any halogen compounds, the risk of toxic gases being produced during a fire is eliminated, making them safer to use compared to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cables.
3. The difference between PVC cables and low smoke halogen-free cables
LSZH cable test
There are big differences between zero-halogen cables and PVC cables in terms of functionality, scope of use and price. We need to know more about the differences between them in order to provide better services. Below we will introduce some considerations when choosing cables.
Generally speaking, there is a big difference between low-smoke halogen-free cables and PVC cables whether they contain halogen. PVC cable has a better flame retardant effect because it is made of halogen-containing polyethylene material. However, if it burns, it will produce toxic gases and smoke, corrode machinery, and harm the human body. If rescue is needed, the staff Just wear a respirator mask.
Low-halogen cables do not produce any acidic gases, have no smoke, and have perfect protection for machines and the human body. Therefore, some places with high population density generally choose this kind of low-smoke and halogen-free cable. The operating temperature range of low-smoke halogen-free cables is 90 degrees to 120 degrees. Its production and design are very scientific and technological, adapting to the sound characteristics of the environment. At high temperatures and under any circumstances, its excellent safety standards will not release toxins and other issues, making daily use safer and more convenient.
Choosing low-smoke and halogen-free wires to improve the safety and quality of the environment is a very commonly used type in many buildings. Make sure to choose genuine products, pay attention to brand guarantee, achieve safe use effects that me
4. Advantages and disadvantages of low smoke halogen-free cables
Advantages of low smoke zero halogen cables
a. Halogen-free: Using green insulation, sheathing and individual oxygen-insulating materials, it not only has good electrical properties, physical and mechanical properties, but also ensures that the product does not contain halogen, which solves the problem of "secondary pollution" caused by combustion and avoids PVC burning. Produce toxic substances.
b. Low smoke and low toxicity: Using new and unique covering materials, it does not pollute the environment. No toxic gases are produced during production and combustion, and acidic gas emissions are minimal, reducing the harm to personnel and equipment. Low smoke halogen-free cables must be used.
c. High flame retardancy: Environmentally friendly cables meet the construction requirements for high fire protection requirements. The cables are not easy to burn when exposed to fire, and can prevent the spread of flames and disasters after burning. Especially modern super high-rise buildings and existing material products increase the difficulty of rescue in the event of fire. The use of low-smoke halogen-free cables can increase rescue time and reduce the harm of harmful gases to the human body.
Disadvantages of low smoke zero halogen cables
Although LSZH cable is environmentally friendly, its raw material and technology costs are more expensive than YJV cable. PVC cable has excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and other excellent properties. Low-smoke halogen-free cables cannot completely replace cables, so their applications are not very widespread in terms of popularity.
5. Application of low-smoke halogen-free cables
Low smoke zero halogen cable
Zero-halogen cables are products that do not contain PVC and TPU, so they will not produce harmful gases when burned, and will not produce hydrochloric acid when in contact with water.
Low-smoke halogen-free sheath materials are divided into LSZH, LSOH, LS0H, LSFH and OHLS. They are environmentally friendly cables and will not emit toxic smoke when burned. Low-smoke halogen-free materials can reduce the toxic and corrosive gases produced during their combustion process. Therefore, ZW Cable can produce lshf cable, lsoh cable, and lsnh cable.
a. Low-smoke halogen-free cables are often used in poorly ventilated spaces, such as ships, trains, airplanes, etc.
b. In the construction industry, low-smoke halogen-free cables are also commonly used. High voltage cables are located above the transformer. If the current is too high, a fire can occur. The use of low-smoke halogen-free sheath can reduce toxic gases generated by short circuits and increase escape time. Therefore, we also call it low smoke halogen-free cable.
c. In the railway industry, one of the basic requirements is to protect personnel and equipment from exposure to toxic and corrosive gases. These applications require the use of low-smoke and halogen-free materials for the outer layer. In the cable industry we call it railway cable.
As we can see, although low-smoke halogen-free cables have been around for decades, their use is only beginning to accelerate. There are no alliances or organizations actively promoting LSZH cables, nor are there scenarios in which LSZH cables should be used, or even how LSZH cable manufacturers should describe it on their websites or specifications. Fortunately, this situation is improving thanks to UL Halogen-Free (HF) and Low-Smoke Halogen-Free (LSHF) certifications. We hope this momentum can continue rather than waiting for another serious fire to occur before taking action.