Accession Number:

ADA355109

Title:

Cargo Compartment Fire Protection in Large Commercial Transport Aircraft

Descriptive Note:

Technical Note.

Corporate Author:

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TECHNICAL CENTER ATLANTIC CITY NJ

Personal Author(s):

• Blake, David
• Marker, Timothy
• Hill, Richard
• Reinhardt, John
• Sarkos, Constantine

Report Date:

1998-07-01

Pagination or Media Count:

25.0

Abstract:

This report describes recent research by the Federal Aviation Administration FAA related to cargo compartment fire protection in large transport aircraft. A gaseous hydrofluorocarbon, HFC-125, was compared to Halon 1301 in terms of fire suppression effectiveness and agent decomposition levels in the cargo compartment and passenger cabin during full-scale tests involving a bulk-loaded cargo fire. Also, a zoned water mist system was designed and evaluated against a bulk-loaded cargo fire. An exploding aerosol can simulator is being developed to provide a repeatable fire threat for evaluation of new halon replacement agents. The potential severity of an exploding aerosol can inside a cargo compartment and the effectiveness of Halon 1301 inserting was demonstrated. Tests were also conducted to determine the effectiveness of Halon 1301 against a cargo fire involving oxygen canisters. Finally, HFC-125 was evaluated for use as a simulant for Halon 1301 during cargo compartment approval testing to demonstrate compliance with applicable FAA regulations.

Descriptors:

• *COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT
• *FIRE PROTECTION
• *AVIATION SAFETY
• *TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT
• CARGO VEHICLES
• AEROSOLS
• SCALE MODELS
• THREATS
• EXPLOSIONS
• TEST METHODS
• COMPARTMENTS
• OXYGEN
• REPLACEMENT
• CANISTERS
• FIRE SUPPRESSION
• FIREPOWER
• FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENTS
• DECOMPOSITION
• REPRODUCIBILITY
• PASSENGERS
• WATER SUPPLIES
• FLUORINATED HYDROCARBONS
• MIST
• AIRCRAFT CABINS

Subject Categories:

• Transport Aircraft
• Containers and Packaging
• Safety Engineering

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE