A Study on the Improvement of Safety and Efficiency of Clean Rooms in Semiconductor Factories Through Real Fire Experiments

Abstract

The increasing number of fires in semiconductor factories requires new approaches to fire safety. It is important to study the specifics of the activities of companies that use potentially flammable materials in production, such as air filtration units, electrical cables and floor panels. The aim of the study was therefore to determine the level of fire risk in the clean rooms of these companies by means of real fire experiments. As a result, a fire risk assessment of the main combustible materials such as air filtration units, electrical cables and floor panels in the plenum room on the top floor of the cleanroom was carried out. The results of the experiment showed a low ignition propensity of the air filtration unit and limited fire propagation in the event of ignition. High calorific materials, such as fibreglass in filters, were identified as increasing the risk. Based on this, it was proposed to replace these materials with flame retardant materials and to improve the stop/fire control systems of the air filtration units. The results obtained in the study should be used for the development of technical recommendations for improving fire safety in critical premises at semiconductor factories.