Engine Nacelle Halon Replacement, FAA, WJ Hughes Technical Center

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Engine Nacelle Halon Replacement,FAA, WJ Hughes
Technical Center

• Point of Contact Doug Ingerson
• Department of Transportation
• Federal Aviation Administration
• WJ Hughes Technical Center
• Fire Safety Section, AAR-422
• Bldg 205
• Atlantic City Int'l Airport, NJ 08405 USA
• tel [phone]
• fax [phone]
• email Douglas.A.Ingerson_at_tc.faa.gov
• web page http//www.fire.tc.faa.gov/

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• RESULTS FROM THE RECENT TASK GROUP MEETING OF AND
  NOTABLE EVENTS SINCE AUGUST 2000
• RESULTS FROM THE AUG2000 TASK GROUP MEETING
• Fire Suppression System Issues
• Distribution plumbing inadequate for discharge
  durations less than 1 second
• Firex servicing procedures require modification
  to improve distribution consistency
• Test Section Issues
• Lowest air mass flow capability requires
  determination
• Maximum air temperature capability requires
  determination
• Thermal control of the spray nozzle fuel line
  requires improvement
• Hot plate temperature measurement requires
  improvement
• NOTABLE EVENTS
• Halonyzer II processor failed September 2000

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• PROGRESS/CURRENT STATUS
• Fire Extinguisher Distribution Plumbing
• the diameter of the agent flow path will be
  increased from the firex bottle to the first flow
  split
• new 1-1/4" ID ball valve due on-site 18Dec00
  (delivery date has slipped twice)
• other plumbing components on-site
• modification can not be implemented until 1-1/4
  ball valve is in place
• Firex Servicing
• inconsistent equilibrium in the agent/N2 mixture
  producing a noticeable variation in agent
  distribution profiles
• procedure developed to minimize this problem
• Halonyzer II Modification
• processor demolished so specific components can
  be used in the new processor
• new lap-top computer and A-D hardware to drive
  the transducers are on-site
• software and transducer support in development
• goal for operational capability is 1st quarter,
  01

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• PROGRESS/CURRENT STATUS (continued)
• Low Mass Flow Capability
• two tests run with more restricted inlet mass
  flow in the 0.7-0.8 lbm/s_at_72F range is readily
  attainable
• preliminary checks for stable flow appear
  consistent
• Maximum Air Temperature Capability to Date
  (ambient inlet ? 75F)
• 325F_at_0.2 lbm/s, 315F_at_1.4 lbm/s, 275_at_2.3
  lbm/s
• expect changes in this capability ambient inlet
  temperatures are in the 50F range
• will perform more characterization trials during
  December
• Spray Nozzle Fuel Line Thermal Control
• new water jacket currently being installed
• will complete characterization in December
• Hot Plate Temperature Measurement (four
  thermocouples per hot plate)
• thermocouple reduced to 22AWG from heavily
  armored units
• bead is located under the head of tie-down screw
  for the exterior surface of the hot plate
• temperature profiles increase noticeably a 200F
  () increase in temperature

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Maximum Airflow Temperature Capability (ambient
inlet ? 75F)
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Comparison of Single Thermocouple Histories for
the Same Physical Location on the Spray Hot Plate
Surface
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DISCHARGE SIMULATION FOR THE NACELLE FIRE
EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
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DISCHARGE SIMULATION FOR THE NACELLE FIRE
EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM ... EPA recognizes that
when certain conditions exist, intentional
releases of halon during testing will be
necessary to verify system performance, which is
essential to prevent loss of life and
environmental damage. Therefore, today's action
exempts from the ban on intentional releases,
halon applications meeting the following four
criteria (1) Systems or equipment employing
suitable alternative fire extinguishing agents
are not available, (2) system or equipment
testing requiring release of extinguishing agent
is essential to demonstrate the functionality of
the system, (3) failure of the system or
equipment would pose great risk to human safety
or the environment, and (4) a simulant agent
cannot be used in place of the halon during
system or equipment testing for technical
reasons. Should conditions change such that an
application currently meeting these criteria no
longer met these criteria, then that application
would no longer be exempt from the ban on
intentional releases of halons during testing.
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• DISCHARGE SIMULATION FOR THE NACELLE FIRE
  EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
• Guidance material is forth coming
• The history and basis for this concept is
  provided in a published technical note.
• "Simulating the Distribution of Halon 1301 in an
  Aircraft
• Engine Nacelle with HFC-125," DOT/FAA/AR-TN99/64
• Once this guidance material is implemented,
  discharging Halon 1301 for the purpose of
  demonstrating acceptable compliance with FAA
  regulation will be illegal. This is based on
  compliance with the United States Environmental
  Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory activity.
• EPA citation, Halon Emissions Reduction
• 63 FR 11084, Halon Emissions Reduction
• dated 3March1998, effective 6April1998
• 40 CFR, 82.270 (b)