D.A. Kourtides, J.A. Parker

A program of experimental fires has been carried out to determine the effectiveness and usefulness of a burner to simulate various fire loads under different ventilation conditions in an enclosure of approximately similar dimensions as an aircraft laboratory module. The objective of the program was to develop fire containment criteria of aircraft interior panels such as burn through time, rate of back face temperature rise, evaluation of selected combustible and toxic gases, heat flux rate, and other parameters that affect fire containment such as structural integrity. These tests are intended to evaluate fire performance of panels under relatively full-scale conditions prior to more expensive large-scale testing.

Tests were conducted to characterize a fire load consisting of three polyethylene trash bags filled with a total of 3.37 kg of paper and other polymetric materials. The total heat release burn rate of these trash bags were used as the basis for the calibration of a gas burner ignition source. Two fire containment tests (Test1 and 2) were conducted using the gas burner as the ignition source and fuel load. In these tests, two adjoining walls were state-of-the-art aircraft interior panels 2.5 cm thick; the ceiling was a 1.2 cm thick panel. The quantity of total fuel released in these tests was approximately the same; however, the fuel release rate varied significantly. Test 1, terminated in 6 min, resulted in extensive charring and damage of the panels, but there was no actual burn through. Test 2 was terminated in 3 min, when structural failure occurred at the ceiling wall corner of the module. The tests were conducted with the module in a partially open enclosure, which was utilized primarily for gas sampling and to permit exposure of animals to the combustion products of the aircraft panels

This paper describes the methodology utilized for these tests and experimental results.

The National Fire Prevention And Control Administration

The NFPCA is looking at the situation. The agency has been observing State programs and talking with state Officials from both executive and legislative branches.

Robert McKee

Under contract to NASA, Ames Research Laboratories, Stanford Research Institute, (SRI) conducted the passenger compartment detector phase of a program which is developing and testing economically feasible fire-resistant materials for interior furnishings and finishes of aircraft and also developing active on-board fire protection measures and including early detection of incipient fires in passenger and cargo compartments.

The National Fire Presentation and Control Administration

Through the new Fire Research Building, officials of the National Bureau of Standards, U.S. Department of Com mercer, hope to "prevent fire with fire." The tests and research at the Building will provide the technical information needed for better building and product design, and for incorporation into voluntary standards and building codes. The Fire Research Building features a fire endurance furnace that can be used to test wall assemblies, partitions, doors and floor I ceiling assemblies. In the burn corridor, the contribution of wall, floor and ceiling materials to fire spread and smoke generation can be measured. A two-story fire growth facility in the Building has the space for testing furnished rooms, while a burn room can be used for testing individual pieces of furniture and consumer items. A sophisticated control center and smoke abatement system have also been incorporated into the Fire Research Building.

Paul W. Smith

The experiments reported herein were performed under Task No. AM-A-76-TOX-29 with additional support from Systems Research and Development Service. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Federal Aviation Administration.