EVALUATION OF A HALON 1301 SYSTEM FOR POSTCRASH AIRCRAFT INTERNAL CABIN FIRE PROTECTION

The use of a Halon 1301 fire-suppression system was evaluated in regard to increasing escape time during a ground crash situation with an internal cabin fire. Tests were conducted in a DC7 fuselage varying the exit configurations, and fire size at agent discharge. Smoke, temperature, carbon monoxide, oxygen, and Halon 1301 levels were continuously monitored during the tests at various locations throughout the cabin. A sampling system for collecting hydrogen fluoride (HF), Halon 1301's primary decomposition product, was used. Samples at four locations were taken every 30 seconds, for 5 minutes after discharge. The use of a curtain to inhibit the spread of HF was also examined. The results indicated that in order to minimize the HF concentrations, the fire should be extinguished when its size is as small as possible, and prior to the opening of cabin exits. In order to reduce HF concentrations, the cabin exits should be opened as soon as the fire is extinguished. The use of a curtain to partition the cabin greatly reduced the spread of HF from the fire zone to the protected section. Test results also indicated that a system malfunction causing Halon 1301 concentrations less than those needed to extinguish a fire could produce very high HF levels. Conversely, a deep-seated fire produced relatively small HF levels. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center

  Federal Aviation Administration
  Atlantic City, NJ  United States  08405
• Authors:
  • Hill, R
  • Boris, P N
• Publication Date: 1976-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 37 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceptance; Air transportation crashes; Aircraft; Aircraft cabins; Combustion; Fire extinguishers; Fire extinguishing agents; Fire prevention; Fires; Gas analysis; Passenger aircraft; Performance; Safety; Tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Acceptability; Bromotrifluoromethane
• Old TRIS Terms: Aircraft fires; C-47 aircraft; Halon 1301; Hydrogen fluoride
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00146976
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA-RD-76-132 Final Rpt., FAA-NA-76-21
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 16 1977 12:00AM