Abstract: Kitchen cafeterias are high-frequency fire and electricity usage areas with concentrated equipment and a dense flow of people. Without proper preventive measures, fires can easily occur, leading to injuries and casualties. As a type of safe power distribution product, intelligent safety distribution devices can effectively prevent electrical accidents. This article briefly discusses the application of intelligent safety distribution in such locations.
Keywords: Kitchen cafeteria; electrical fire; intelligent safety distribution unit
0. Introduction
In recent years, with the rapid economic development of our country, the catering industry in canteens has undergone a transformation. An increasing number of electrical appliances have entered the kitchen, achieving electrification and providing efficient and convenient dining services. However, this has also increased the fire load. Currently, electrical fires pose a very serious threat in our country, particularly in kitchen fires, which often rank among the top causes of electrical fires.
Characteristics and Causes of Electrical Fires in Kitchen Canteens
1.1 Characteristics of Electrical Fire in Kitchen Canteens
Multiple causes contribute to electrical fires in kitchen canteens, with common ones including overloading, short-circuiting, and leakage. Such fires typically exhibit several characteristics: first, they are highly concealed, difficult to detect, and pose significant danger; second, they often occur during peak electricity usage periods, resulting in substantial property losses and casualties; finally, they are highly突发 and can spread rapidly.
Analysis of the Cause of the Electrical Fire in the Kitchen Cafeteria
The kitchen canteen area has a high concentration of electrical equipment, leading to severe smoke and oil stains. In a humid environment, outdoor power facilities such as high-voltage lines, transformers, and substation boxes are prone to discharge phenomena. The dust and impurities inside electrical appliances can become conductive due to humidity, causing combustion when electrified, which极易 lead to electrical fires. The main hazards include:
(1) Failure to adhere to electrical operation procedures resulted in staff members coming into direct contact with the live parts of an electrified object that is highly prone to leakage.
During the maintenance of the online facilities, the safety organizational measures and technical measures were inadequate, leading to wiring errors and resulting in an electric shock accident.
Due to improper management or aging of electrical equipment, insulation damage has occurred, leading to leakage. There have been instances of individuals coming into contact with leaking electrical appliances and control boxes.
(4) Some lines are not properly grounded, and in some cases, there is no grounding at all, which极易 lead to electric leakage accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities.
(5) The overall wiring is disorganized and complex, which is highly prone to causing short circuits and potentially leading to fires.
(6) Incorrect configuration of power outlets or switches for key electrical components.
(7) The working environment is extremely humid, and electrical equipment has not been effectively waterproofed.
All electrical boxes and equipment failed to undergo inspections as per the scheduled time.
(9) Other unforeseen factors, such as lightning strikes, may cause personal injury to individuals near the lines or electrical equipment.
Common traditional electrical safety measures in everyday life involve promptly cutting off the power supply when an electrical arc and spark occur due to a circuit short, but by then, the arc and spark have already formed. If flammable items like paper or carpet are nearby, a fire is almost inevitable.
Ankorri's intelligent safety distribution device breaks through the technical bottleneck of traditional electrical protection, which can only achieve "post-event handling." It proactively converts distribution to safe electricity, suppressing the generation of arc sparks at the source, significantly reducing fire risks. The system also real-time monitors critical data such as voltage, current, power, temperature, residual (leakage) current, and ground insulation resistance in electrical circuits, intelligently identifying circuit abnormal risks, and promptly transmitting alarm information to the cloud management system, reminding users to promptly investigate and address faults. This system not only meets the remote emergency response needs of managers in emergencies but also outputs management records such as historical fault types, alarm data, and maintenance records. It supports users' daily optimization management of safe electricity use, effectively improving the detection and handling rates of electrical safety hazards and preventing electrical fires.
2. Ankorri AISD Series Intelligent Safety Distribution Device
2.1 Introduction
The AISD series intelligent safety distribution units are a specialized intelligent power product developed by Ankoer Electrical Co., Ltd. for the low-voltage distribution side. This product is primarily designed to address common hazards such as electrical shock accidents involving personnel on the low-voltage distribution side, aging lines, and leakage-induced electrical fires. The product is mainly used in various low-voltage power supply scenarios, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hotels, shopping malls, corporate units, and household appliances.
2.2 Feature Highlights
The integrated whole-machine design, with dedicated user wiring and operation windows, simplifies user operation.
(1) Enhance power supply continuity. In the event of a single-phase grounding fault on the grid side of the equipment, the power grid can continue to supply electricity, triggering an alarm for the equipment, but it will not shut off the power, thus not affecting the continuous operation of the electrical equipment.
(2) Enhance power supply safety. In the event of a single-phase grounding fault on the load line of the device's output side, the grounding point will not produce sparks, preventing electrical fire accidents.
(3) Ensuring Personal Safety: The device limits the leakage current on the load-side power grid, providing protection to the human body in case of accidental contact with a single power line, thereby preventing electric shock accidents.
(4) Monitoring and Alarm Function: The device emits an audible and visual alarm signal when the backend detects overloading, over/under voltage, insulation failure, or internal over-temperature faults.
(5) Real-time Electrical Parameter Measurement and Display. The device can measure and display in real-time the current, voltage, power, electrical energy, device temperature, and insulation resistance value between the output circuit and ground, all on the touch screen.
(6) Event Log. The device can store up to 20 event logs for user inquiry.
(7) Communication Function. The device is equipped with 1 RS485 communication port, utilizing the standard Modbus-RTU protocol. Optional wireless communication is also available, allowing data to be sent to the cloud platform via wired networking or wirelessly. Users can remotely monitor and control the device using a browser, mobile app, or WeChat official account.
(8) Equipped with emergency mains power switching, surge protection, and emergency stop button.
The AISD series intelligent safety distribution units can be connected to electrical fire monitoring hosts via wired communication, or to safety electricity management cloud platforms or other cloud platforms via wireless communication. This facilitates maintenance and management for administrators of elderly care facilities equipped with intelligent safety distribution units.
2.3 Important Notes
When selecting an intelligent safety distribution device, the rated capacity of the device should match the rated capacity of the equipment to be powered. For instance, if the rated capacity of the intelligent safety distribution device is 3kVA, the rated capacity of the powered equipment should not exceed 3kVA. It is strictly prohibited to use it in distribution lines with mismatched rated capacities.
2) The intelligent safety distribution device is designed for wall-mounted installation, allowing for both wall-hanging and floor-standing setups. It is essential to ensure that the installation location is free from dripping water, corrosive gases, and sediment, and to pay attention to environmental temperature and ventilation.
3) During wiring, follow the wiring diagram. To prevent excessive contact resistance at the joints, which can cause local overheating, and to avoid malfunctions due to poor contact, ensure that the corresponding terminal connections are tightly and securely fastened.
4) Strictly prohibit unauthorized individuals from opening the product shell.
3. Conclusion
The kitchen cafeteria area is part of the public building, and due to its high temperature and humidity, electrical fires and even explosions occur frequently. It is imperative to take this seriously and ensure that the electrical design of the kitchen area strictly adheres to relevant regulations. This will help prevent accidents such as electrocution, fire, and even explosions caused by gas leaks.
Reference
[1] Dietary Architecture Design Standard: JGJ 64-2017. [S]. Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2017.
[2] Bai Lixian. Discussion on the Safety of Low-Voltage Distribution Systems in High-Rise Building Electrical Design. Jiangxi Building Materials, 2017.
[3] Corporate Microgrid Design and Application Handbook. 2020, June.
