- Author
- Dokko, W. | Ramohalli, K.
- Title
- Application of Thermochemical Modeling to Aircraft Interior Polymeric Materials. Final Report.
- Coporate
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
- Report
- DOT/FAA/CT-82/83; JPL 5030-543, June 1982, 66 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Telephone: 1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000; Fax: 703-605-6900; Rush Service (Telephone Orders Only) 800-553-6847; Website: http://www.ntis.gov
- Contract
- DOT-FA80NA
- Keywords
- aircraft interiors | polyurethane foams | burning rate | fire safety
- Abstract
- This report summarizes the results from a twelve-month study of the feasibility of applying certain basic concepts in thermochemical modeling to aircraft cabin fire safety. The concepts developed earlier on a NASA-sponsored program were applied to six specific tasks dealing with the thermochemical performance of interior carpets and seat cushions. The specific objective was to predict the burning rate as a function of the material property values, geometry and heat flux; more important, it was the aim to predict and provide rationale for certain special features that have been experimentally observed by the FAA. It was also the specific objective to introduce new concepts that have not been the subject of pursuit at other centers. That is, the novel concepts developed at JPL were highlighted. Three fundamental hypotheses were introduced: the condensed phase degradation of the polymeric material is the overall rate-limiting step; the extent of degradation at the vaporization step (at the surface) is not arbitrary but has to be specified by a scientific criterion such as the vapor pressure equilibrium criterion; and the diffusion/mixing of the pyrolysis products with the oxidizer (air) is the rate-limiting step in the vapor phase combustion. The results indicate that the assumption of condensed-phase reaction as the rate-limiting step is correct, that the thermochemical performance can be predicted using the ingredient properties only, and that a certain theoretical result predicted by this model is in qualitative agreement with experimental observations. For example, it is predicted that a typical carpet can not burn under tis own flame but needs augmentation by an external radiation source for sustained burning, and this ws observed experimentally.