Fire-Resistant Fiberglass Conduit for Tunnels

Champion Fiberglass has been providing conduit systems for tunnel projects for decades. Our company has supplied durable, toxin-free, low-smoke, cost-effective American-made electrical conduit for major transit and subway systems in the U.S. and Canada for over 30 years. As a result, electrical engineers increasingly rely on our fiberglass (RTRC) phenolic conduit when transportation system projects require a lightweight, easy-to-install, safe conduit system.

Why?

Champion Flame Shield Phenolic Conduit is a 2-hour fire rated electrical conduit system that is lighter, smokeless and less costly than galvanized rigid steel conduit (GRC) and PVC coated rigid metal conduit options, and without the toxicity and halogens of PVC SCH 40, PVC SCH 80 and PVC-coated rigid steel conduit. It offers best in class field handling due to its light weight, ease of cutting and integral bell, making it the clear choice for subways, tunnels and state DOT (Department of Transportation) projects.

Electrical Conduit for Subway and Tunnel Projects

Today’s subways and tunnel systems require electrical conduit systems that are low smoke/zero halogen and meet 2-hour fire ratings while providing fire safety circuit integrity for life safety cable systems. These conduit systems also need to maximize long-term performance and overall value while being durable and non-corrosive. Dated existing steel rigid conduits raceways and system components no longer meet NFPA502 standards. Champion Fiberglass Flame Shield® Phenolic XW Conduit is 2-hour fire-rated and meets stringent NFPA 130 and NFPA 502 requirements as well as the UL 2196 Standard for Fire Resistive Cables.

Infrastructure Projects

Emergency power supply, fire pumps, pressurizing fans, smoke dampers, ventilation fans, emergency lighting, fire alarms, elevator plenum areas (with AHJ approval), fire pump rooms, all require electrical conduit that offers system longevity, simple installation, high temperature rating and fire resistance, low smoke and zero halogen. For tunnel infrastructure projects, metal conduit systems do not match the corrosion resistance and fire resistive properties of phenolic XW RTRC conduit.

Innovative Solutions for Modern DOT Projects

Champion Fiberglass was the first manufacturer of a fiberglass (RTRC) phenolic conduit that meets UL 2196 requirements — and can withstand temperatures of 1850℉ for two hours. When specifying conduit for DOT projects, our Type XW Phenolic Flame Shield® Conduit is the go-to for electrical engineers who value a light weight, non-corrosive, zero-smoke, zero-halogen option that meets today’s rigorous safety and fire standards.

• For tunnel conduit, Champion Flame Shield® phenolic conduit is NFPA 130 compliant, 2-hour fire rated to UL 2196 (2 hours at 1850°F), and low-smoke, zero-halogen.
• It is a fire-resistant conduit that contains no halogens to release when burning, the property that governs enclosed running tunnels and station areas where smoke and halogen release determine evacuation conditions.
• Which product to specify:
  • Champion Flame Shield® where the specification names a fire rating, NFPA 130 compliance or low-smoke performance, such as running tunnels, subway stations and enclosed transit structures.
  • Champion Duct® standard RTRC where no fire rating is called for, such as tunnel approaches, portals and adjacent surface work.
• Both are corrosion-resistant and non-conductive.