Development and Testing of Dry Chemicals in Advanced Extinguishing Systems for Jet Engine Nacelle Fires

摘要

This document reports an experimental study of the effectiveness of dry chemical in extinguishing and delaying reignition of fires resulting from hydrocarbon fuel leaking onto heated surfaces such as can occur in jet engine nacelles. The commercial fire extinguishant dry chemicals tried were, for example, sodium and potassium bicarbonate, carbonate, chloride, and carbamate (Monnex) but we have also tested other metal-halogen and metal-hydroxycarbonate compounds prepared in our own laboratories. Given in this report are: synthetic and preparative procedures for new materials developed; a new concept of fire-control by dry chemical agents; descriptions of experimental assemblages to test dry chemical fire extinguishant efficiencies in controlling fuel fires initiated by hot surfaces; comparative testing data for more than 25 chemical systems in a static assemblage with no airflow across the heated surface, and similar comparative data for more than 10 compounds in a dynamic system with airflows up to 350 ft/sec; and recommendations for future work with one system that fulfills all requirements delineated by the sponsoring agency, and which has been tested in both the Static and Dynamic assemblages with both methodologies confirming it as the most effective system by comparison with the other materials tested.