Ernest B. McFadden

Several recent jet transport accidents have focused the attention of the aviation industry upon smoke and toxic gases as causal factors of passenger incapacitation ,and failure evacuate aircraft before fire and heat render the environment: uninhabitable. If it were possible to provide passengers with a short duration supply of breathing air sufficient to maintain the passengers' mobility and allow completion of aircraft evacuation, survival would be enhanced. Simple, light-weight, bag-shaped hoods incorporating a neck seal were fabricated of a thin pliable, high-temperature, transparent, polyimide plastic film. Polyimide film has no melting point but reportedly chars at 1500°F. In a more advanced design, thin trans-parent metallic coatings were applied to the polyimide film in order to reflect up to 90% of the radiant heat. Upon exposure to a specific infra-red heat flux, facial skin temperatures of 114-115°F were recorded on twelve human subjects wearing the non-metalized hood. Under identical conditions, skin temperatures of the same subjects \vearing the metalized hood did not exceed 99°F. Capability of the hood to provide short term and extended protection from smoke and flame inhalation in a fire environment is discussed.

Paul N. Boris

A series of fire tests was conducted on aircraft aluminum alloy 5052-0 (formerly 52S) tubing and a standard AN aluminum futtings. Tests consisted of subjecting specimens to a 2000F flame from a standard 2-gph kerosene torch. The degree of fire resistance of tubing and coupling test specimens was determined for conditions of sero-flow and intermediate-flow rates up to a maxinum rate in gallons per minute of five times he square of the inside diameter in inches. Oil and aviation at ambient temperatures and oil preheated to 200F were used as the circulating fluids during testing. The investigation covered tube sizes from 1/4 to2 in. in diameter. Aluminum tubing containing no fluid exhibited very little fire resistance; whereas, tubing containing fluid but without flow showed an increase in fire resistance with eventual failure. Under this latter test condition, the use of fire-retardant coatings on tube samples did not result in any significant increase in fire resistance. Test results revealed that aircraft aluminum tubing retained a high degree of fire resistance as long as fluid continued to circulate through the tubing to conduct heat away from the wall surface.

Couplings of 3/4-in. size and larger leaked at all flow rates tested. Coiplings under 3/4-in. size exhibited no signs of leakage. Subsequent inspection of all couplings after testing revealed no signs of damage or deformation.

Jay C. Harris

The objective of preparing emulsified jet fuel is to reduce the possibility of in-flight or post-crash fires. Two high internal phase JP-4 fuel emulsions containing 3% external emulsifying phase were developed which have reduced flammability and are engine consumable with low residual ash.

John Monarch

This paper discusses the results of tests conducted to determine the effect of the direct burning of an emulsified JP-4 fuel in a gas turbine engine under various environmental conditions.

George Opdyke

This paper discusses the major effects observed in feasibility testing of three emulsified fuels in several gas turbine combustors, fuel controls, and fuel system component parts, and in three Avco Lycoming gas turbine engine models.