Evaluating of Low-Density Reticulated Foam to Mitigate Postcrash Fuel Fires

摘要

Approximately 50% of the fatalities in survivable airplane crashes are due to postcrash fires. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a new low-density (LD) reticulated polyurethane foam (LD foam) to mitigate postcrash airplane fires. Currently, reticulated foam is used in the fuel tanks of the C-130, A-10, and F-15 military aircraft for explosion protection. However, documentation on the use of reticulated foam to mitigate postcrash fires is limited and does not exist for the new LD foam. A series of sled tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of LD foam to mitigate postcrash fuel-fed fires. LD foam was placed inside a simulated fuel tank and exposed to dynamic inertial forces experienced in a survivable airplane crash.