The type of cable (halogen-free or standard industrial) can have many significant effects on fire safety, equipment protection, compliance and overall operational costs in industrial applications. Halogen-free cables, also known as LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen), are especially important in high-risk and high occupancy areas as they release less toxic smoke and corrosive gases when combusted than other cables. With more than 20 years of experience in the production of high quality industrial grade transmission cables, Hulk Electric can assist engineers in making the right decisions to maintain a reliable & compliant transmission solution for challenging applications.
This hands-on book guides plant engineers through important issues to decide where halogen-free cables provide real benefit compared to traditional products in automation, robotics and control applications.
Standard Industrial Cables vs Halogen-Free – What Changes?
Standard industrial cable are commonly equipped with PVC or other halogenated jackets. These offer superior mechanical properties of durability, flexibility and cost for many applications. On the other hand, they give off large amounts of black smoke and corrosive halogen acids (such as hydrochloric acid) in a fire, which can be harmful to health, reduce visibility and affect electronics.
In halogen-free (LSZH) cables, chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine are removed from insulation and jacketing. They generate considerably less smoke, few toxic fumes and no corrosive acid gases in combustion. This trade-off is of increased initial expenses and, in some cases, mechanical properties but is accompanied by an increase in safety and decrease in secondary damage.
This is important for engineers who are designing cables for facilities such as a manufacturing plant, where performance and safety have to be taken into account.
Step 1 – Assess Fire Risk, Occupancy, and Space
When starting any cable specification, the first thing to consider is the environment in which the cable will be installed:
High Fire Consequence vs Low Fire Consequence Areas
For each route ask the following questions:
- What is the probability that the fire starts close to the cable?
- If the area is filled with smoke, what would be the difficulties in getting evacuated?
- Which of the following items are critical equipment that might be affected by corrosive byproducts?
Equipment-dense, high occupancy, or narrow spaces for enclosure require the use of cables that are halogen free – even if this is not the case throughout the rest of the plant.
Step 2 – Environments Where Halogen-Free Is Strongly Recommended or Mandatory
Some areas can only use or only use LSZH cables almost all the time.
Public and Occupied Areas in or Around the Plant
Always use halogen-free cables in:
- Mezzanine floors and offices in control rooms, corridor areas and plant corridors.
- Next, revisit the visit area, canteen or training center.Then go back to the visit area, canteen or training center.
- Routes for evacuation in case people need to go through possible smoke.
The decisions increase visibility and give time for safe escape from incidents.
Data Centers, Telecom Rooms, and Control Rooms
Halogen free cables will safeguard sensitive equipment in dense server racks, network equipment rooms or zones with high-value electronics. Standard cables have corrosive gases which can lead to expensive circuit board and contact corrosion, and cause extended downtime.
Tunnels, Underground, and Poorly Ventilated Areas
Use LSZH for cable runs in:
- Shafts (underground corridors)
- In an enclosed industrial area with a restricted ventilation system or road/rail tunnel.
Smoke and gas build-up increases risks in these places.
Step 3 – Equipment Protection and Business Continuity
Areas with High-Value or Mission-Critical Equipment
Avoid using cables with a halogen content near switchgear, DCS/SCADA systems, instrumentation or process control equipment. Less acid gas release minimizes secondary damage to copper, steel and electronics, which aids recovery and lowers total ownership costs.
Step 4 – Regulatory and Client Requirements
When Codes or Project Specs Demand Halogen-Free
Always comply when:
- This is specified in the project.
- Escape Route(s), high-rise buildings, public facilities, transport or tunnels are subject to local regulations.
In regulated industries, failure to comply may result in a delay of certification or project approval.
When Standard Industrial Cables Are Still Acceptable
Standard cables are still viable in:
- Have adequate ventilation and open plant floors with few people present.
- Circuits, which supply non-critical loads, where smoke impact is a minimum level.
- When a project has no special LSZH requirements, but is limited in budget.
Record the risk assessment when using default choices to aid future audits and enhancements.
Practical Decision Checklist for Plant Engineers
Visit this checklist to help make selections:
- Is it an enclosed or unventilated area? Strongly consider halogen-free/LSZH.
- High occupancy or complicated evacuation? Focus on LSZH in corridors, control areas and escape routes.
- Dense critical electronics? Use low smoke cables to protect data centers, telecom or MCC rooms.
- Codes or specs require LSZH? Explicit for tunnels, public areas or high standard projects.
- With restricted budget, none of the above? Standard industrial cables may be acceptable (state the reason).
How to Implement Halogen-Free in an Existing Plant
- Identify all cable routes by risk (low, medium and high) using the map.
- Focus on improvements on paths with a high risk of damage such as escape routes, tunnels and control areas.
- Uniformize the same core families of halogen-free products for control, power and data use for streamlined inventory.
- Ensure internal specifications and RFQs are revised to have clear requirements per Zone.
Cables engineered for the industrial automation and robotics industry and for demanding environments, at Hulk Electric, halogen-free cables. We are fully certified, such as RoHS, REACH and more, and offer custom options for your specific requirements, ensuring reliable performance under challenging conditions.
Looking to fine-tune your cable game? Give our team details of your plant layout, application or risk areas! We’ll recommend the right halogen-free or standard solutions to enhance safety and efficiency.
