Records 1 to 5 of 1066
The number of thermal runaway incidents from portable electronic devices (PEDs) in the aircraft cabin is growing at a notable rate. Recent data indicates that lithium battery incidents occur on average more than once per week on passenger aircraft. In response to this problem, many airlines have adopted the use of fire containment products as a means to mitigate the spread of fire and toxic fumes. An evaluation was conducted by the FAA to assess the effectiveness of commercially available fire containment products and assess their capability to mitigate the release of smoke, flames and shrapnel produced from a PED fire.
Fire containment products were procured from five different manufacturers and tested with three different fire loads, a tablet containing a 30 Watt-hour (Wh) battery, a 96 Wh power bank and a 154 Wh video camera battery. Products were only evaluated according to the maximum capacity that the product was advertised to withstand.
Key findings from this study include:
Testing suggests that some containment products cannot currently meet the airlines’ present expectations for product performance. Further testing on the use of fire containment products may be needed to ensure the safety of aircraft occupants.
As a result of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, over 12.7 billion vaccine doses were shipped and administered across 184 countries. Transportation via aircraft was a significant contributor in this effort. Many of the COVID-19 vaccines need to be stored at extremely low temperatures to maintain efficacy, therefore, dry ice has been used as a method to keep vaccines refrigerated throughout air shipments. Dry ice is categorized as a Class 9 (Miscellaneous) Dangerous Good. Dry ice undergoes a process called sublimation at normal pressure and temperatures, in which the solidified form transitions directly to gaseous CO2. This process can create an oxygen deficient environment in confined areas (including aircraft), which can produce shortness of breath, unconsciousness, or death if exposed over prolonged periods of time.
An assessment was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to identify parameters pertinent to dry ice sublimation throughout air shipment. This study was motivated by minor sublimation rates (<1% per hour) claimed from container manufacturers. This has important safety implications as decreases in sublimation rates allow for exponential increases in permitted dry ice cargo. Further analysis was needed. Specifically, this study evaluated the following parameters’ impact: temperature, pressure, humidity, dry ice pellet size, container design and durability. Results indicate that dry ice pellet size, container design, and durability had a clear impact on sublimation rate. Sublimation rates differed significantly between the three containers evaluated within this study and were observed to increase as containers were reused. Furthermore, dry ice pellets with smaller nominal diameters were noted to sublimate at a higher rate than those with a larger diameter. Other evaluated parameters within this study produced no clear correlation. Although sublimation was observed to be affected by numerous parameters, data suggests a conservative approach to this subject is prudent. While some external conditions may produce only minor differences in sublimation rates, it would have a major impact on the allowable quantity of dry ice shipped.
This report summarizes the research effort undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop an improved test methodology for determining the performance of aircraft evacuation slide materials when exposed to radiant heat. A laboratory scale test method was previously developed by the FAA circa 1983, which used a pressurized cylinder apparatus on which a sample of evacuation slide material is mounted. The slide sample material was exposed to an electrically powered radiant heat source that simulated the heat flux typical of a fully-developed jet fuel fire. The purpose of the test was to determine the ability of an evacuation slide to maintain pressurization when the material was exposed to radiant heat, as past aircraft accidents had shown that evacuation slides were losing pressure prematurely during exposure to jet fuel fires.
An adjustable voltage regulator was used to set the level of heat flux of the radiant heater before the test, as measured by the calorimeter. Once the heat flux was set, a test was conducted in which the slide material was exposed to the radiant heat source. During a test, it was possible for normal supply voltage fluctuations to increase or decrease the previously-set heat flux level of the radiant heater resulting in poor test repeatability.
An improved test method in which the electrical power input to the radiant heater was continuously monitored and adjusted for the duration of the test. This ensures that fluctuations in supply voltage are accounted for, to prevent any variability in the heat flux level generated by the heater. In addition to the adjustable voltage regulator, the improved methodology also requires a digital amp meter to measure the amount of electrical current entering the radiant heater.
Numerous trials were conducted to determine the repeatability of different radiant heaters and heat flux gauges to potentially improve the calibration method. The heat flux gauges proved to be much more consistent and require yearly recalibration making them essential for proper calibration of the evacuation slide test apparatus.
A radiant panel insulation test round robin with 24 labs was conducted in 2015 and the test results varied considerably between labs. Dimension data about each apparatus was collected from each participating lab and the air openings around the sliding platform were identified as one possible cause of the test discrepancies. Preliminary studies were then conducted at the FAA Technical Center with four different insulation materials while varying the air openings. This testing found that certain materials failed more often when the openings were closed. A larger study was designed with four labs testing many parameters with the air gaps fully closed, partially open, and fully open. Each lab conducted a three-position calibration, measured the sliding platform top surface temperatures using a thermocouple array, and tested 20 samples of two different materials at each gap setting. Statistical analysis of variance was used to compare the material test data. Test results showed similar trends between all four labs for the calibration and surface temperature data, with mixed results for the material testing data. Minimum opening dimensions around the sliding platform were added to the Aircraft Materials Fire Test Handbook Revision 3 based on the results of this study.
The transportation of lithium batteries is heavily regulated. UN 3480, lithium-ion batteries (batteries not packed with or contained within equipment) are forbidden on passenger aircraft and cannot exceed 30% state of charge (SoC) when transported on cargo aircraft.
In March 2024, two packages containing lithium-ion cells (UN3480) started to smolder while being loaded into a unit load device (ULD) at the Hong Kong International Airport. An investigation determined that numerous cells within both packages showed significant signs of charring. Other packages from this shipping account had arrived at its destination airport in Ontario, California.
A team of hazardous materials aviation safety inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (AXH) inspected the packages on-site in California. Subsequently, AXH contacted the FAA’s Fire Safety Branch to aid in further analysis. Twelve batteries were sent to the Fire Safety Branch at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, where testing was performed to determine the as-delivered SoC. Findings determined that the average SoC of the twelve lithium-ion batteries was 49.2%.
Federal Aviation Administration