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Author

Gann, R. G.

Title

Executive Summary.

File

get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=911643

Coporate

National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD

Report

NIST SP 890; Volume 1, November 1995, 789 p.

Book or Conf

Fire Suppression System Performance of Alternative Agents in Aircraft Engine and Dry Bay Laboratory Simulations. Volume 1 and Volume 2, Gann, R. G., Editors, iii-vi p., 1995

Keywords

Identifiers

dry bay; knowledge to help differntitate among chemiclas, leading to selection of the optimal currently available option(s) for in-flight fire suppression; fire suppression efficiency; stability during storage; safety following discharge; discharge performance; optimal currently available option

Abstract

Halon 1301 (CF₃Br), one of the chemicals identified as detrimental to stratospheric ozone, had become the choice for suppressing in-flight fires in nearly all types of aircraft. Production of new halon 1301 was stopped on January 1, 1994, and efforts are underway to identify near-term replacements for critical applications, focussing on available or currently emerging chemicals and technologies. In particular, the three military services and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have pooled resources to provide solutions for two applications: engine nacelles and dry (avionics) bays, while realizing that there are other aircraft areas also in need of protection. This project was managed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), with oversight provided by a Technology Transition Team of four sponsors. The first major objective of the program was to identify the optimal available alternative fluid(s) for use in suppressing fires in aircraft engine nacelles and dry (avionics) bays. In October, 1993, based on extensive laboratory research and real-scale testing at WPAFB, the sponsors decided on a reduced list of candidates for each application; for engine nacelles: C₂HF₅ (HFC-125), C₃HF₇ (HFC-227ea), and CF₃I; for dry bays: C₂HF₅, C₃F₈ (FC-218), and CF₃I. Much of the laboratory-scale research leading to that decision has been described in NIST Special Publication 861, "Evaluation of Alternative In-Flight Fire Suppressants for Full-Scale Testing in Simulated Aircraft Engine Nacelles and Dry Bays". That report documents the comprehensive experimental program to screen the performance of possible suppressant chemicals as a means to identify the best candidates for subsequent full-scale aircraft fire extinguishment evaluation at Wright Laboratory, and addresses the compatibility of these agents with flight systems, people, and the environment. In particular, apparatus and measurement methods suited to aircraft applications are carefully described, and extensive performance data are provided and analyzed. The reader is referred to that report as a prerequisite and companion to the current document.