THE FOURTH TRIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT FIRE CABIN SAFETY RESEARCH CONFERENCEWJH FAA Technical CenterJohn W. ReinhardtFire Safety Section, AAR-422 Atlantic City Int’l Airport, New Jersey 08405

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• Development of MPS to Address Aircraft Cargo Compartment Fire Suppression Systems

• Latest MPS for Aircraft Cargo Compartments

• Full-Scale Evaluation Fire Tests of New Agents

SLIDE 2 OF 35

Federal Aviation Regulations and Joint Airworthiness Requirements, such as 25.851 - 25.857, require fire protection systems for Class C aircraft cargo compartments

In the past, the aircraft industry has selected Halon 1301 total flood fire suppression systems as the most effective systems for complying with the FARs. But, it is an ozone depleting agent.

Because of the ban on production of Halon 1301 (Montreal Protocol, 1994), new fire suppression systems will need to be certified when the use of halon is no longer viable.

SLIDE 3 OF 35

In 1994, the FAA sponsored International Halon Replacement Working Group created a task group to develop the MPS for aircraft cargo compartment. IHRWG is now IAFPSWG.

The FAATC Fire Safety Section developed the standard, in conjunction with the IAFPSWG task group members, and ran the necessary tests to back the developed document.

The MPS document defines the fire test protocols required to test Halon 1301 replacements/alternatives.

SLIDE 4 OF 35

Development of a Minimum Performance Standard for Aircraft Cargo Compartment Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems (DOT/FAA/AR-00/28, Sept 2000)

“Minimum Performance Standard for Aircraft Cargo Compartment Halon Replacement Fire Suppression Systems” (DOT/FAA/AR-TN03/6, April 2003)

Update to report DOT/FAA/AR-TN03/6, expected by December 2004.

MPS Published Documents:

SLIDE 5 OF 35

MPS

Bulk Load Fires Containerized Fires

Flammable Liquid Fires Aerosol Can Explosion SimulationSLIDE 6 OF 35

MPS

TEST ARTICLE

The fire tests are to be conducted inside a simulated below floor cargo compartment of a wide-body aircraft

Cargo Compartment = 2000 ft3

Leak Rate = 50 CFM

Instrumented with thermocouples, gas analyzers, and pressure transducers

SLIDE 7 OF 35

164.00” (4.16m)

66.00” (1.67m)

AFT SECTION

FORCED VENTILATION SYSTEM.PERFORATED 4” DIAMETER DUCT.DUCT OPENS TO OUTSIDE OF COMPARTMENT

319.30” (8.11m)

UP

AFT STARBOARD

FORWARDSECTION

Ceiling Thermocouples

SidewallThermocouple

PressureTransducer

Gas AnalyzerProbes

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Ignited Box

178 Cardboard Boxes

TEST SCENARIO 1:Bulk-Load Fire Test

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Fire Load = 178 card board boxes (30% of Vol.) containing 2.5 lbs of shredded paper

Ignition = nichrome wire wrapped around folded paper towels

System Activation = 1 min. after one of the ceiling T/C reaches 200 oF

Test Duration = Five tests @ 30 minutes each

MPS

BULK-LOAD TEST

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Not to scale

End View

Cardboard boxes

TEST SCENARIO 2:Containerized-Load Fire Test

Unit Load Device

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Fire Load = 33 card board boxes inside an ULD3. 3 ULD3 in Compartment

Ignition = nichrome wire wrapped around folded paper towels

System Activation = 1 min. after one of the ceiling T/C reaches 200 oF

Test Duration = Five tests @ 30 minutes each

CONTAINERIZED-LOAD TEST

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Not to scale

End View

TEST SCENARIO 3:Surface Burn Fire Test (Flammable Liquid Fire Test)

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Fire Load = 0.5 U.S. Gallon of Jet A fuel (with 13 oz of gasoline)

Ignition = Arc created by two spark plugs

System Activation = 1 min. after one of the ceiling T/C reaches 200 oF

Test Duration = 5 minutes

SURFACE BURN FIRE TEST

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TEST SCENARIO 4:Aerosol Can Explosion Simulation Test

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Fire Load: Simulator - 0.2 lb. Propane, 0.6 lb. of denatured alcohol, 0.2 lb of waterCargo Bay - 59 cardboard boxes

Ignition Sources = Nichrome wire/paper towel and electrodes (3 ft away from simulator)

Aerosol Can Simulator Activation = 5 minutes after one of the thermocouples, attached to the pipes, reaches 400 degF.

Test Duration = shall be conducted for at least 180 minutes or until the simulator is activated

Fire Suppression System Activation = 1 min. after one of the ceiling thermocouple reaches 200 oF

Heat up simulator to increase pressure in content chamber to 240 psig

AEROSOL EXPLOSION TEST

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End View

Not to scale

TEST SCENARIO 4 (Short Version): Aerosol Can Explosion Simulation Test

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Fire Load = 0.2 lb. Propane, 0.6 lb. ofDenatured Alcohol, 0.2 lb of water

Ignition = Arc created by two spark plugs (230 W)

Simulator Activation = When the agent, at 2 feet from the floor, is at the minimum inert concentration

Test Duration = 15 seconds after the activation of the simulator

AEROSOL EXPLOSION TEST

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Acceptance Criteria For Bulk Load, Containerized, Flammable Liquid Tests Only

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time (minutes)

Tem

pera

ture

(deg

rees

F)

Max Temperature

t2 = t1 + 1 minute. Suppression System Activation

t3 = t2 + 2 minutes; Data use for analysis

t1 = time when temperature ≥ 200°F

t4 = t3 + 28 minutes or t4 = t3 +deviation time, End of test

Data range use for analysis

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ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

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AGENTS TESTED AT THE WJH FAA TECHNICAL CENTER:• Halon 1301 – FY1998

• Pentafluoroethane (HFC-125) – FY1999 and FY2004

• Water Mist – FY2001

• Water Mist/Nitrogen – FY2001

• Bromotrifluropropene (BTP) – FY2003

SLIDE 21 OF 35

“Development of a Minimum Performance Standard for Aircraft Cargo Compartment Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems”(DOT/FAA/AR-00/28, Sept 2000)

“The Evaluation of Water Mist With and Without Nitrogen as an Aircraft Cargo Compartment Fire Suppression System”(DOT/FAA/AR-01/121, Feb 2002)

“Behavior of Bromotrifluoropropene and Pentafluoroethane When Subjected to a Simulated Aerosol Can Explosion” (DOT/FAA/AR-TN04/4, March 2004)

TEST REPORTS PUBLISHED:

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MPS BULK-LOAD FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TEM

PER

ATU

RE

(deg

F)

Not Tested

Acceptance Criteria: <= 720 degF

V.C. > 3.1%

8.8% < V.C. < 15.6%

Note: V.C. = Volumetric Concentration

18 Gallons of Water8 Gallons of Water 2321 ft3 of Nitrogen

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PENTAFLUOROETHANE, BULK FIRE LOAD

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Time (Minutes)

Perc

ent

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Tem

pera

ture

(Deg

F)

OxygenFE-25Ceiling Temperature

Result For Pentafluoroethane During Bulk-Load Fire Tests

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SLIDE 25 OF 35

MPS BULK-LOAD FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TIM

E-TE

MPE

RA

TUR

E A

REA

(deg

F-m

in)

Not Determined Not Determined

Acceptance Criteria: <= 9940 deg F - min

SLIDE 26 OF 35

MPS CONTAINERIZED-LOAD FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TEM

PER

ATU

RE

(deg

F)

Not Tested by the FAA

Acceptance Criteria: <= 650 deg FV.C. > 3.1%

8.8% < V.C. < 15.6%

33 Gallons of Water

8.8 Gallons of Water 2321 ft3 of Nitrogen

SLIDE 27 OF 35

MPS CONTAINERIZED-LOAD FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TIM

E-TE

MPE

RA

TUR

E A

REA

(deg

F-m

in)

Not Determined Not Determined

Acceptance Criteria: <=14040 deg F-min

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MPS SURFACE BURN FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TEM

PER

ATU

RE

(deg

F)

Not Tested by the FAA

Acceptance Criteria: <= 570 deg FV.C. > 3.1%

9 Gallons of Water

2.7 Gallons of Water 111 ft3 of Nitrogen

Not Tested by the FAA

SLIDE 29 OF 35

MPS SURFACE BURN FIRE TEST RESULTS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Halon 1301 Pentafluoroethane Water Mist Water Mist/Nitrogen Bromotrifluoropropene

AGENT

TIM

E-TE

MPE

RA

TUR

E A

REA

(deg

F-m

in)

Not Determined Not Determined

Acceptance Criteria: <=1230 deg F-min

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Results For Various Agents During Aerosol Explosion Tests

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Results For Pentafluoroethane During Aerosol Explosion TestsSIMULATED AEROSOL CAN EXPLOSION TEST

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000

Time (msec)

Pres

sure

(psi

g)

No Agent

2.5% Halon 1301

8.9% HFC-125

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Results For Bromotrifluoropropene During Aerosol Explosion TestsSIMULATED AEROSOL CAN EXPLOSION TEST

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000

Time (msec)

Pres

sure

(psi

g)

3% 2-BTP

4% 2-BTP

5% 2-BTP

6% 2-BTP

No Agent

2.5% Halon 1301

SLIDE 33 OF 35

SLIDE 34 OF 35

Thanks to the efforts of the IAFPWG in the last 10 years, the FAA has a comprehensive standard that the aviation industry could use as a means of compliance during the certification process of a new fire suppression system for aircraft cargo compartments.

As of today, the only fire suppression system capable of passing the FAA’s Cargo Compartment MPS tests is a system that combines water mist and nitrogen. Two different systems have proven these results.

SLIDE 35 OF 35

The Fourth Triennial The Fourth Triennial The Fourth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research ConferenceResearch ConferenceResearch Conference

The Fourth Triennial The Fourth Triennial The Fourth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research ConferenceResearch ConferenceResearch Conference