- Author
-
Heinonen, E. W.
|
McCarson, T. K., Jr.
|
Stepetic, T. J.
|
Kent, L. A.
|
Gill, W.
|
Keltner, N. R.
- Title
- Inverted Deluge System (IDS) Development Tests. Volume 1. Fire Suppression Tests. Final Report. December 1991-May 1992.
- Coporate
- New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque
- Sponsor
- Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, FL
- Report
-
ESL-TR-92-71,
January 1993,
142 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- F29601-C-87-0001
- Keywords
-
deluge systems
|
aircraft hangars
|
fire protection
|
composite materials
|
fire suppression
|
aqueous films
|
aqueous foams
- Identifiers
- inverted delgue system (IDS); aqueous film forming foam (AFFF); fire protection of composite material aircraft
- Abstract
- Traditional overhead and monitor nozzle fire protection techniques cannot protect large-winged composite aircraft from fires inside a maintenance dock. A previous NMERI effort showed that composite aircraft material could suffer structural damage unless aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) was applied within 15 to 20 seconds from fire ignition. A parallel effort assessed the effectiveness of various nozzle types in an underwing or inverted deluge system (IDS) concept in which nozzles are placed under the aircraft in small floor pits on roughly 8-foot centers. This task validated the firefighting abilities of an IDS design produced by the Corps of Engineers for new and existing aircraft maintenance docks. A 30- by 49-foot simulated hangar floor was constructed within a fire pool, with a segment of the underfloor piping and nozzle system built into the floor. A sheet metal simulator, instrumented with thermocouples at various points was installed over the floor to simulate the aircraft underbody. Jet-A fuel was ignited on the floor by a fuel spray, and the time to extinguish the fire was determined for various nozzle pressures, simulator heights, and delay times between ignition and foam initiation. The specified nozzle and an alternate design were tested. While the IDS design using the original nozzle proved adequate, the delay time between fire initiation and AFFF flow had to be reduced. Additional fire suppression test data not included in this report are in Volume 3. Operation of the hydraulic system was verified at Whiteman AFB and is documented in Volume 2 of this report.