Study on the fire risk of mining cables tested by cone calorimetry

In the backdrop of the modernization of intelligent mining in the China, the stability of mining cables directly affects the operational stability of the entire underground electrical system in the mine, and studying the fire risk of mining cables is crucial. A cone calorimeter was used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the ignition time, mass loss rate, heat release rate, smoke generation rate, total smoke production, and the production rates of CO₂ and CO for two types of mining cables (MYP and MYJV). Five indicators (FPI, FGI, THRI_6min, TSPI_6min, and ToxPI_6min) were used to investigate their fire risks. The results showed that the ignition time of MYP mining cables was longer than that of MYJV mining cables; the peak mass loss rate of MYP mining cables was lower than that of MYJV mining cables, with MYP cables having a larger latent heat of vaporization and more prominent thermal lag; MYJV mining cables release more heat during combustion; the smoke generation rate and total smoke production of MYP mining cables were lower than those of MYJV mining cables; the production rates of CO₂ and CO for MYJV mining cables were higher than for MYP mining cables; thus, MYJV mining cables pose higher fire risk compared to MYP mining cables. This study better evaluates the fire hazards of two commonly used mining cables and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of cable fires in mines.