Development of an Optical Calorimeter Sensor for the Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) Determination on Arc-Rated Materials for Personal Protective Equipment

The determination of the arc rating of arc-resistant materials for the manufacture of personal protective clothing is conducted by measuring the incident and transmitted energies through calorimetry using thermocouples coupled to copper discs during the electric arc events. In this study, custom calorimeters were constructed by incorporating both a thermocouple wire and an embedded optical-fiber temperature sensor, and the arc ratings of different fabrics were determined in terms of their arc-thermal-performance value (ATPV). The results revealed differences between the measurements obtained with the two sensor types. Notably, the absence of electromagnetic interferences generated by the arc current and the enhanced time response achieved with the optical-fiber temperature sensor signal led to an ATPV arc rating approximately 27% lower than that measured with the thermocouple. These findings underscore the importance of investigating the current methodology used for determining arc ratings to ensure accurate measurement of incident and transmitted energy.