Performance Demonstrations of Zinc Sulfide and Strontium AluminatePhotoluminescent Floor Proximity Escape Path Marking Systems

摘要

Transport category aircraft are required by 14 CFR 25.812 to have emergencylighting systems, including floor proximity marking systems. Typical floor proximity marking systems installed on transport category aircraft have been primarily comprised of incandescent luminaries spaced at intervals on the floor, or mounted on the seat assemblies, along the aisle. The requirement for electricity to power these systems has made them vulnerable to a variety of problems, including battery and wiring failures, burned-out light bulbs, and physical disruption caused by vibration, passenger traffic, galley cart strikes, and hull breakage in accidents. Attempts to overcome these problems have led to the proposal that non-electric photoluminescent materials be used in the construction of floor proximity marking systems. To assess the viability of this proposal, performance demonstrations of systems made with such materials were conducted. It was found that strontium aluminate photoluminescent marking systems can be effective in providing the guidance for egress that floor proximity marking systems are intended to achieve; in contrast, zinc sulfide materials were found to be ineffective.