STUDIES OF THE FLASH FIRE POTENTIAL OF AIRCRAFT CABIN INTERIOR MATERIALS

This is the third in a series describing work carried out under the joint sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop a method of assessing the flash fire potential of materials found in aircraft cabin interiors. The flash fire cell described in the previous report was modified further and used to evaluate the flash fire potential of a series of 24 typical aircraft cabin interior materials. Flash fires were observed in the apparatus at fuel loadings as low as 0.23 g/L. A minimum energy principle was proposed to characterize the flash fire behavior of the complex mixture of fuels derived from the pyrolysis of organic materials. This principle states that a flash fire is possible when the potential combustion energy content of the pyrolyzate-air mixture exceeds approximately 425 cal/L. A variety of experiments was performed to provide support for the minimum energy principle. The results were in general agreement with predictions, but the accuracy of the measurements was not good enough to permit detailed conclusions. Oxidative pyrolysis plays a significant role in the formation of the fuel-air mixture in the flash fire cell. Particulates contribute to the creation of flash fire conditions, but they present a difficult measurement problem.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC.
• Corporate Authors:

  NATIONAL AVIATION FACILITIES EXPERIMENTAL CENTER

  ATLANTIC CITY, NJ  United States 
• Authors:
  • Manka, M J
  • Pierce, H
  • Huggett, C
• Publication Date: 1977-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 34 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation crashes; Aircraft; Aircraft cabins; Epoxides; Fiberglass; Fire prevention; Fire resistant materials; Fires; Flame propagation; Flammability; Flash point; Foams; Fuel air mixtures; Organic materials; Polyurethane resins; Pyrolysis; Safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Air fuel ratio
• Old TRIS Terms: Aircraft fires
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00169738
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA-NA-77-180, FAA-RD-77-47
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FA67NF-AP-21
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 2002 12:00AM