Department of the Army - SP4 Phillip Delduke

An Engineering Test of Winter Flight Clothing System was conducted from January 1971 to October 1971 at USAGETA except for the thermal protection phase which was conducted concurrently at U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, Fort Rucker, Alambama, In March 1971. Technical charactristics of the experimental underwear were ascertained and a comparative evaluation made with the standard item.

James W. Ross, Jr.

The study criteria focused on the effects of multiple exposure to the proposed disinsection environment under representative flight conditions.

George Chamberlain, Eugene Klueg

Proposals have been made to carry relatively large quantities of liquid nitrogen (LN2) aboard commercial aircraft for the purpose of fuel tank inerting. Secondary uses such as powerplant fire extinguishment, have been suggested. Testing was conducted at the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center to determine the feasibility of using LN2 as an aircraft powerplant fire-extinguishing agent and also to determine the characteristics of LN2 when used as an extinguishant. These tests were conducted in a fire test facility using a full-scale aircraft turbojet engine and nacelle for subsonic low altitude flight condition simulation and also in a mockup engine/nacelle facility where nacelle volume and airflow could be varied. For all tests, the LN2 was delivered from a dewar where it was stored under pressure as a saturated liquid. All fire tests were conducted using JP-4 jet fuel which was spray released and spark ignited. In addition to the preliminary feasibility study, this report describes the experimentation conducted to determine the qesign criteria required for an effective agent quantity, discharge rate, discharge conditions, and distribution system configuration. The report also describes the effects of-an inadvertent discharge on engine ""components, the effects of a damaged cowling, and the cooling of potential reignition sources.

Julius J. Gassman & Richard G. Hill

Full-scale fire tests were conducted to determine the degree to which fire in large cargo compartments may be controlled by the use of bromotrifluoromethane as an extinguishing method in conjunction with ventilation shutoff. Results of the tests, using a 10-percent load, indicated that temperature can be kept below 500 degree F and that a flash fire can be averted for at least 2 hours by the use of as little as 3 percent by volume of bromotrifluoromethane. The rate of agent application was about 3 ½ pounds per second. During these tests, the normal leakage that occurs while in flight configuration was simulated by providing airflow of 75 cubic feet per minute. Two tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of liquid nitrogen as an extinguishing agent. The weight of agent used was 175 pounds and 284 pounds, respectively. The use of liquid nitrogen proved very effective in extinguishing the initial flames, but with the 75 CFM simulated leakage, when the oxygen concentration rose to 12 percent, a flash fire occurred. In both cases the protection lasted just over 30 minutes. The rate of application of the liquid nitrogen was as high as 10 pounds per second.

Constantine P. Sarkos

A 2-foot square stainless steel panel was constructed with the same dimensions between the fuselage skin and cabin wall as those of a titanium fuselage previously exposed to an external fuel fire. The panel was subjected to a 2 gallon per hour kerosene burner which simulated the heat flux and temperature from a large JP-4 fuel fire, as existed during the titanium fuselage test. The purpose of the panel tests were to determine if the phenomena observed during the titanium fuselage test could be duplicated on a small scale, and also to test various sealant/insulation combinations superior to those used in the titanium in order to ascertain the degree of improvement in environmental conditions which would result. Testing of the panel utilizing the same materials found in the titanium fuselage caused phenomena and temperature distribution very similar to those observed during the full scale test, thus giving credence to this test method as being representative of what would occur to a titanium or stainless steel aircraft during a post crash fire. The titanium insulation tested without any cabin pressure sealant caused a flash-fire. However, two commercially available high temperature insulations also tested without any sealant maintained survivable conditions for at least 15 minutes. Viton, a hydroflourocarbon elastomer, was found not to flame or cause a flash fire under conditions which silicone did (the titanium fuselage had a silicone cabin pressure sealant). The propensity of the formation of a flash fire was strongly influenced by the compactness of the insulation and the presence of any voids or passageways between the fuselage skin and cabin wall interface.