- Author
- Botteri, B. P. | Clodfelter, R. G. | Kane, W. R.
- Title
- BDE Fire Extinguishing System for Aircraft Engine Compartments. Final Report. August 3, 1995-March 3, 1995.
- Coporate
- AFP Associates Inc., Centerville, OH
- Sponsor
- Air Force Material Command, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
- Report
- WL-TR-95-3073, March 1995, 136 p.
- Distribution
- Available from Defense Technical Information Center LIMITED DISTRIBUTION to authorized U.S. Government agencies
- Contract
- C-F33615-94-C-3407
- Keywords
- aircraft engines | fire extinguishing agents | halons | nacelle fires | blocking | cost benefit analysis | fire suppression | extinguishing | ozone
- Identifiers
- Aircraft Engine Nacelle Non-fire Test Simulator (AENNTS); Block, Disperse and Extinguish (BDE); recent aircraft fire extinguishing system research activities; aircraft engine compartment data; evaluation of blocking concepts; gas analysis instrumentation; aircraft engine nacelle simulator; breadboard system design
- Abstract
- The banning of Halon "chemical" fire extinguishants require the development of other effective fire protection measures for aircraft engine compartments. In this program an advanced fire extinguishing system concept(s) was investigated. The concept involves the blockage and displacement of combustion air while simultaneously providing rapid, controlled distribution of the fire suppressing agent for "total" fire extinguishment and control. This rapid "Block", "Disperse" and "Extinguish" (BDE) multi-pronged attack reduces agent quantity requirements for normally ventilated engine compartments while providing improved agent dispersion and dwell time. Several tasks embodying data search, concept validation via dynamic testing, breadboard system design, and preliminary trade-off and cost benefit analysis were satisfactorily completed. An Aircraft Engine Nacelle Non-Fire Test Simulator (AENNTS) was constructed and instrumented to enable comparative performance evaluation of the BDE vs the standard high rate discharge (HRD) fire extinguishing system. Several prototype BDE configurations were evaluated. All exhibited significant performance superiority over the standard HRD system. AFP Associates Inc. has recommended that further development of the BDE system be pursued.