TOXICITY OF BCF FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENTS

This paper investigates the various classes of fire which may occur during aircraft operation (no lethal situation is considered), with the exception of those classes (i.e. class D fires) precluded either by aircraft design or by the established certification requirements (FAR rules). Investigation of fire extinguishing agents on the basis of this selection principle reveals that the following two are most appropriate based on application and economic reasons: (a) CO2 type of fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing by reduction of oxygen); (b) BCF type fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing by chemical reaction). The author then proceeds to examine the practical case of a fire in an average jumbo aircraft passenger compartment. Taking into consideration cabin layout, fire hazard volume, and disaggreants of BCF agents in relation to temperature intervals, he computes the level of concentration of toxic particles. These findings are in turn compared to the level of concentration considered lethal by medical authorities. Safety factors for the different toxic disaggreants such as halogen acids HBr, HC1, HF, resulting from various extinguishing agents are derived. Using these factors, the performance of the well known CO2 fire extinguishing agent is compared with that of the BCF agents. The results demonstrate the BCF agents (i.e. HALON 1211) have a safety factor at least twice that of the conventional CO2 fire extinguishing agent and are six times more effective. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/4947749
• Corporate Authors:

  SAFE Association

  P.O. Box 631
  Canoga Park, CA  United States  91303
• Authors:
  • Deus, H R
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 30-33
• Serial:
  • SAFE Journal
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: SAFE Association
  • ISSN: 0191-6319

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Chemicals; Fire extinguishers; Fires; Toxicity
• Old TRIS Terms: Aircraft fires
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00183936
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: SAFE Association
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 25 1979 12:00AM