Ground Based Fuel Tank Inerting

1
An Overview of the FAA Technical Centers
Commercial Aircraft Fuel Tank Inerting Research
August 29th-30th, 2000International Aircraft
Systems FireProtection Working Group
2
Outline

• Work Performed
• Work in Progress
• Proposed Work

3
Work Performed

• Cost Analysis of Ground Based Fuel Tank Inerting
  in the Commercial Fleet
• Performed Study of Two Target Airports with
  Carriers
• Estimated Cost 1.6B over 13 Years, 800M HCWTs
  Only
• Published Report in May 2000
• Inerting of a Vented Fuel Tank with Nitrogen
  Enriched Air
• Performed Lab Experiments with Model Fuel Tank
  and Air Liquid NEA Generator
• Jury Still Out on Effectiveness of Recirc and
  Replace
• Report to be Published October 2000

4
Work In Progress

• Boeing Flight Test Instrumentation
• Design Build and Integrate System that Measures 8
  Channels of Continuous Oxygen Concentration Data
  at different locations in a Boeing BBJ CWT
• Failed to Make Fiber Optic Fluorescence System
  Work
• Fuel Tank Flammability at Increased Altitude and
  Decreased Oxygen Concentration
• Performed Ignition Experiments with Model Fuel
  Tank in Pressure Chamber
• Initial Study at Sea Level with Reduced Oxygen
  Concentrations
• Work to Continue with Increased Altitude to 40K
  feet

5
Future Work

• Full Scale Ground Based Fuel Tank Inerting
• Presently Seeking a Decommissioned B-737 for
  Ground Based Testing.
• Plan Extensive Instrumentation and Testing
  Beginning in 2001.
• On-Board OBIGGS Feasibility Study
• Solicit Paper Designs with Performance Estimates
  from Several Venders
• Fuel Load Effect on an Inert Ullage Space at
  Altitude
• Use Model Fuel Tank and Altitude Chamber to
  Measure the Effect of Decreased Pressure on
  Ullage Space Oxygen and Hydrocarbon Concentration
  at Different Fuel Loads