Boeing 747 SP CWT Flammability Survey William M

Boeing 747 SP CWT Flammability Survey William M Cavage Project Engineer - Fuel Tank Inerting FAA AAR-440, Fire Safety R&D Branch June 13 th-14 th, 2002 International Systems Fire Protection Working Group CAA House - London, UK

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Outline • Background • Test Article • Preliminary Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Background • FAA Rulemaking Based on Reduction of Fleet Flammability Exposure – Need to Validate Manufactures Temperature Models • Temperature of the Pack Bay Drives the Temperature of the Fuel and Ullage which Directly Bare on Flammability • Pack Bay Temperature is Directly Dependant on Local Weather (Temperatures, Pressures, Humidity, and Wind) – Need to Study Time/Transport Effects • Temperature of Fuel Drives Ullage Fuel Vapor Content but it is Effected by Ullage, Wall, and Ceiling Temperatures • Time Transport Effects Seem Significant AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Test Article • Boeing 747 SP – Decommissioned from Airline Service and Purchased by the FAA for Ground Testing Only • All Major Systems Fully Operational • Has Independent Power for Test Equipment and Instrumentation – Full Complement of Ground Service Equipment • Instrumentation – Center-Wing Tank Fully Instrumented • Gas Sample Tubing for Oxygen and Total Hydrocarbon Analysis • 32 Thermocouples in Tank (Ullage, Fuel, Walls, Floor, and Ceiling) – Other Instrumentation • Additional Thermocouples in Pack Bay, NEA Deposit, Cabin etc. • Some Weather Data Acquired AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Boeing 747 SP in Photo AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Top Diagram AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Preliminary Data • Focus of Data is on Warm and Hot Days with Scavenge Fuel Level (Minimum) – Allow Aircraft to sit for Short Period – Run ACMs for 3 -4 Hours – Examine Evolution of Temperatures and THC • Examine the Effects of Ambient Temperature on the Flammability of the Tank in Terms of Ground Operation Time • Examine the Effects of Fuel Load AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Temperature Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Temperature Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Flammability Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Temperature Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Flammability Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ 747 SP Center Wing Tank Flammability Data AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D

747 SP Flammability Survey __________________ Summary • Preliminary Data Trends are Consistent with Predictions • Temperature Data Problems Need to be Worked Out to Validate the Temperature/Time/Flammability Relationships • Preliminary Data on Small Fuel Loads Shows Difficult to get Flammable Ullage AAR-422 Fire Safety R&D