Louise C. Speitel/ Timothy MarkerFire Safety Branch

FAA William J. Hughes Technical CenterAtlantic City International Airport, NJ 08405 USA

Louise.Speitel@faa.gov

Development of a Laboratory-Scale Test for Evaluating the Decomposition Products Generated

Inside an Intact Fuselage During a Simulated Postcrash Fuel Fire

The Fifth Triennial International Fire & Cabin Safety Research Conference

Atlantic City, New JerseyOctober 29- November 1, 2007

2

Outline

• Purpose

• Background

• Laboratory Scale Test Rig for Evaluation of Buildup of:

Toxic Gases

Flammable Gases

• Insulation Systems Tested

• Gas Sampling Methodology

• Gases Measured

• Methods of Analysis

• Results

• Coclusions

3

Purpose

• Develop a laboratory-scale test to evaluate the thermal decomposition products that accumulate inside an intact transport category fuselage during exposure to a simulated external fuel fire.

• Perform this test on:

Two thermal acoustical insulation configurations.

A prototype structural composite material (without thermal acoustic insulation.

• Measure buildup of gases within test enclosure.

Toxic gases

Flammable gases

• Compare test results for the 3 material systems.

• Subsequent tests will be conducted on a fire-hardened Full-Scale Burntrough Test Rig to provide a scaling factor for gas concentration data.

4

BackgroundFull-Scale Fuselage Burnthrough Test Rig

5

Background

B-707 Burnthrough Test of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Insulation Assembly

Aluminum Skin

Insulation Assembly

lofted PAN

met PVF film+

6

HCN, CO and CO2 Measured During Full-Scale Test With Polyacrylonitrile Insulation

1.5 inch Curlon FB-300SA with AN-18R Tedlar film with polyester reinforcement

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

HC

N (p

pm)

CO

, CO

2 (Percent)

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 4800

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

HCN Near FireHCN Forward

CO Near FireCO Forward

CO2 Near FireCO2 Forward

Time (Seconds)

Fractional Effective Dose (Incapacitation) at 5 minutes = 0.1

7

Insulation Burnthrough Test Apparatus

Flame Temperature = 1900° F

Heat Flux = 16.0 Btu/ft2sec

• This configuration yielded results that correlated with previous full scale tests that used identical materials

• Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25.856(b)

8

Insulation Burnthrough Test Sample Holder

9

Test Apparatus for Evaluating the Toxicity of Insulation Materials

10

Box Enclosure Mounting System

Sample Size: 40- by 40 inch

Box Enclosure

Steel Gasket¼- Inch

Bolt

Insulation Sample

Aluminum Skin

11

Material Systems Tested

Nextel ceramic barrier

lofted fiberglass

met PVF film

lofted PAN

met PVF film

Ceramic Barrier/ FG/Met PVF Film Test

PAN/Met PVF Film Test

Advanced Composite Material Test

Alum Skin

Alum Skin

ACM Skin

+

+

12

Gases Measured by FTIR

Toxic Gases Flammable GasesC6H5NH2 aniline C2H2 acetylene

C6H5OH phenol C2H4 ethylene

CO2 carbon dioxide C6H6 benzene

carbon dioxide

water

C6H6 benzene C2H6 ethane

CH2CHCHO acrolein C3H8 propane

CH4 methane C6H5NH2 aniline

CO carbon monoxide C6H5OH phenol

COCl2 phosgene CH2CHCHO acrolein

COF2 carbonyl fluoride CH4 methane

COS carbonyl sulfide

HBr hydrogen bromide Other GasesHCl hydrogen chloride CO2

HCN Hydrogen cyanide H2O

HF Hydrofluoric acid N2O nitrous oxide

NH3 ammonia

NO nitrogen oxide

NO2 nitrogen dioxide

SO2 sulfur dioxide

13

FTIR and THC Sampling System

N2 Purge

Thermostat Controlled

FlowMeter

Copper cooling/condensationcoil

NeedleValve

THC NDIR

Filter

FlowMeter

HeatedLine

PumpHead

2%Propane

CO1000 ppm

4-Way ValveHeated

SampleLines

LiquidNitrogen

SelectionValve

Sample Cell

Filter

Flow MeterPressure/ VacuumGauge

NeedleValve

BackPressureRegulator

FlowMeter

HeatedLine

PurgeGas

FTIR

Nitrogen

WaterTrap

ToExhaustHood

Filters

Ethylene

Oven

14

FTIR Spectometer

Optical path of sample cell 4-metersCell volume 160mlCell Temperature 170°COptics ZnSe with germanium

coatingDetector Liquid Nitrogen cooled

Mercury Cadmium TellurideAll interface Optics Gold coatedMode ExtractiveResolution 0.5 cm-1Sample rate 16 scans averaged every 9

secondsFTIR Software Midac Autoquant Pro

15

Calibration Spectra and Selected Regions for FTIR Analysis

CO

CO2

H2O

Hydrocarbons

COF2COS

C3H8

HBr, HCl, HFHCN

NH3

Aniline, Acrolein, Benzene, Phenol

N2O, NO and NO2

COCl2

SO2

16

CO and CO2 and Water Spectra and Regions

CO

CO2

H2O

17

CO, CO2 and COS Spectra and RegionsExpanded View

CO

CO2

COS

18

H20, C2H4, C2H2, C2H6, CH4, and C3H8Spectra and Regions

H2O

C2H4

C2H2

C2H6

CH4

C3H8

19

H20, COF2, COS, and HCNSpectra and Regions

COF2

COS

HCN

H2O

20

H20 and HCN: Expanded View

H2O

HCN

21

N2O, NO, NO2 and NH3Spectra and Regions

H2O

CO

CO2

NO2

N2O

NO

NH3

22

H20 and NO: Expanded View

H2O

NO

23

H20, Aniline, Acrolein, Benzene, and PhenolSpectra and Regions

H2O

Aniline

Acrolein

Benzene

Phenol

24

H20, HCl, SO2 and COCl2Spectra and Regions

H2O

HCl

COCl2

SO2

25

H20, COS, HBr, HCl and HF Spectra and Regions

HCl

HBr

HF

COS

H2O

26

Material Systems Tested

Ceramic Barrier/ FG/Met PVF Film Test

PAN/Met PVF Film Test

Advanced Composite Material Test

Alum Skin

Alum Skin

ACM Skin

Nextel ceramic barrier

lofted fiberglass

met PVF film

lofted PAN

met PVF film

+

+

27

Spectra at 5 Minutes

SO2

28

Concentration Histories for Open-Box Test Obtained by FTIR Analysis

051213 ACM-- Box Test 6-- Open Box

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 10 20 30 40 50

Time (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(pp

m)

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

H2O

and CO

2 (ppm)

C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 C3H8 C6H5NH2 C6H5OH C6H6 CH2CHCHO CH4 CO COCl2 COF2 COS HBr HClHCN HF N20 NH3 NO NO2 SO2 CO2 water

29

Concentration Histories for Open-Box Test Obtained by Gas Analyzers

051213 Box Test 6- Open Box

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35Time (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(Pe

rcen

t)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

CO

2 and O2 D

epletion (Percent)

COTHC as Propane CO2O2 Depletion

30

Concentration Histories of FG/Ceramic Barrier Insulation System Box Test Obtained by FTIR Analysis

051212 Box Test 2-- FG/Ceramic Barrier/Metalized PVF

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

0 60 120 180 240 300Time (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(pp

m)

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

CO

, CO

2 and H2O

(ppm)

C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 C3H8 C6H5NH2 C6H5OH C6H6 CH2CHCHO CH4 COCl2 COF2 COS HBr HClHCN HF N20 NH3 NO NO2 SO2 CO CO2 water

31

Concentration Histories of PAN Insulation System Box Test Obtained by FTIR Analysis

051213 Box Test 5-- PAN/ Metalized PVF

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

0 60 120 180 240 300

Time (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(pp

m)

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

CO

, CO

2 and H2O

(ppm)

C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 C3H8 C6H5NH2 C6H5OH C6H6 CH2CHCHO CH4 COCl2 COF2 COS HBr HClHCN HF N20 NH3 NO NO2 SO2 CO CO2 water

32

Concentration Histories of PAN Insulation System Box Test Obtained by Gas Analyzers

051213 Box Test 5- PAN/Metalized PVF

0

1

2

3

0 60 120 180 240 300Time (seconds)

CO

, CO

2 an

d O

2 D

eple

tion

(Per

cent

)

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

Total Hydrocarbons as Propane

(Percent)

CO CO2 O2 depletion THC as Propane

33

Concentration Histories of ACM in an Open FrameObtained by FTIR Analysis

051207 ACM-- Open Frame

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(pp

m)

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

H2O

and CO

2 (ppm)

C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 C3H8 C6H5NH2 C6H5OH C6H6 CH2CHCHO CH4 CO COCl2 COF2 COS HBr HClHCN HF N20 NH3 NO NO2 SO2 CO2 water

34

Concentration Histories of ACM Box Test Obtained by FTIR Analysis

051208 ACM-- Box Test 1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 60 120 180 240 300T ime (seconds)

Oth

er G

ases

(pp

m)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

H2O

and CO

2 (ppm)

C 2H 2 C 2H 4 C 2H 6 C 3H 8 C 6H 5NH 2 C 6H 5OH C 6H 6 C H 2C H C H O C H 4 C O C OC l2 C OF2 C OS H B r H C lH C N H F N 20 N H 3 N O N O2 SO2 C O2 w ater

35

Concentration Histories of ACM Box Test Obtained by Gas Analyzers

051208 Box Test 1- ACM

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0 60 120 180 240 300Time (Seconds)

CO

, CO

2 , O

2 D

eple

tion

and

THC

as

Prop

ane

(Per

cent

)

CO

CO2

Oxygen Depletion

THC as Propane

36

Comparison of Box Test Results at 5 Minutes

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

CO CO2 H20 THC asPropane

Gases at 5 Minutes into Test

Con

cent

ratio

n (p

pm)

FG/Ceramic Barrier/Metalized PVF

PAN/Metallized PVF

ACM

37

Comparison of Box Test Results at 5 Minutes

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500C6

H5NH

2 C6

H5OH

C6

H6

CH2C

HCHO

CO

Cl2

COF2

CO

S HB

r HC

lHC

N HF

N20

NH3

NO

NO

2 SO

2

Gases at 5 Minutes into Test

Con

cent

ratio

n (p

pm)

FG/CeramicBarrier/Metalized PVF

PAN/Metallized PVF

ACM

38

Full Scale Tests

• Upcoming full-scale tests will provide a scaling factor.

• Scaling factor will be applied to future box tests to predict full scale gas concentration histories.

39

Conclusion

• A prototype multi-ply structural composite material produced minimal toxic and flammable gases during a 5-minute fire exposure.

• The aluminum skin/insulation configurations generated much higher gas concentrations .

• 7 plies of the 13-ply composite panel were damaged by the fire