- Author
- Morse, H. L. | Thompson, J. G. | Clark, K. J. | Green, K. A. | Moyer, C. B.
- Title
- Analysis of the Thermal Response of Protective Fabrics. Technical Report. June 1971-June 1972.
- Coporate
- Aerotherm Acurex Corp., Mountain View, CA
- Sponsor
- Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
- Report
- AFML-TR-73-17, January 1973, 219 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- F33615-72-C-1298
- Keywords
- protective clothing | fabrics | skin (human) | JP-4 jet fuel | fuel fires | burns (injuries) | fabric construction | evaluation | flight clothing | aircraft fires | crash fires
- Abstract
- The objective of this program was to develop a theoretical and empirical mathematical relationship to define the fabric-skin system's response when exposed to a JP-4 fuel fire. Critical fabric parameters, such as optical, thermochemical and physical characteristics are defined in a manner which will allow the fabric designer to develop improved thermally protective light weight fabrics. The computer code evaluates the model parameter variation in terms of resultant human skin burns. A comparison of the analytical model results with laboratory and fire pit data decomstrates excellent correlation within the limits of the present study. In addition to the basic fabric parameter study, three fabrics were specifically defined in terms of their thermal response. Nomex, PBI and stabilized PBI fabrics were modeled analytically by experimental determination of their thermal resonse characteristics. Stabilized PBI fabrics provided the best protection of the three fabrics because the fabric did not shrink, break apart or ignite. Nomex fabrics provided the least protection because the hot fabric shrank to contact with the skin, broke apart allowing direct exposure of the skin, and continued to burn upon egress from the fire. Unstabilized PBI fabrics did shrink to contact with the underlying skin and allowed a burn to occur. The extent of the burn under the Nomex fabric was more severe than for the unstabilized PBI fabric. The above results were derived from the mathematical model and then further evidence of the validity of the results was demonstrted by laboratory experiments and by fire pit evaluations conducted by the Air Force. Three second fire pit exposures of mannikins clothed in flight suits made from each fiber type showed the average resultant body area burned in thirty tests to be 49.8% for Nomex, 28.4% for unstabilized PBI, and 11.4% for stabilized PBI.