# Presentation: 519473

## Cargo Compartment alternative MPS testing using Low Pressure Dual Fluid Water Mist and Hypoxic Air

- International Aero Inc.
- FAA  & JAA Repair Station IQNR108K
- Fire Protection Laboratory

- International Aircraft Systems Fire Protection Working Group November 5-6, 2003

## System Participants 

- IAI
- FirePASS
- Air Liquide

## Background

- Started looking at misting in 1998 as a Halon alternative along with condensed aerosols.
- Full scale Cabin ground based testing  **May 1999**
- Flight test   **Aug 2001**
- Rebuilt the MPS device in **May 2003**
- Testing  on going

## We reconstructed the Cargo M PS device 

**We reconstructed the Cargo M PS device**

**Data collection in a LD3 cargo pallet alongside**

## Low Pressure Dual Fluid Nozzle

- US Navy patent
- IAI holds license
- works at 0.8 to 12 bar
- Liquid and gas are equal pressure

## Why LPDF

- Simple
- Hard to clog or plug
- Makes the same size droplet through out the operating range (50 micron)
- Instills a tremendous amount of kinetic energy in the droplet for distribution
- Adjustable flow rates from the same nozzle (1-15 liters per minute)

## System Goals

- Use existing systems and equipment where ever possible
- Be lighter, cheaper and, more efficient
- With a lower overall life time cost
- be ready for the future
- Be better than any gas system, Level of safety
- longer duration
- lower temperatures
- less damage to the air vehicle

## Extinguishing Agent chemistry 

**Name Air ; (Hypoxic Air) **
**Snap listed in July 2003**
**UN Transportation Code  UN1002**
**Gas Properties: **Gas density (1.013 bar at boiling point) : 3.2 kg/m3
-                               Specific gravity (air = 1) (1.013 bar and 21 °C (70 °F)) : 1
-                               Specific volume (1.013 bar and 21 °C (70 °F)) : 0.833 m3/kg**        **
**Normal composition of dry air:**
**Gas Concentration       (% vol. ) ppm or ppb****	****Agent**
**N2   ****	****	****	****78.09%**
**CO2  .****	****	****	****330 ppm**
**H2   ****	****	****	****500 ppb**
**O2 ****	****	****	****20.94%****	****	****15.2% or 10%**
**Ne ****	****	****	****18 ppb**
**Xe  ****	****	****	**** 86 ppb**
**Ar ****	****	****	**** 0.93%**
**He  ****	****	****	****5.2 ppm**
**Rn ****	****	****	****6.10****-11 ****ppb**
**Kr****	****	****	**** 1.1 ppm**

## Hollow Membrane Diagram(it’s just a bunch of small tubes that leak O2)

## Key to system

- Air Liquide “MEDAL”
- Air Separation  Reverse Osmosis Membrane

- Air flow

- Air conditioning Packs

- Bleed air from Engines or APU

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

- Control selector valve

- Re circulated Hypoxic Air

**On**

**OFF**

## MEDAL Membrane Filter

- Hypoxic air out
- to the system

- Bleed air or
-  re-circulate air

- Air @ 20.97% O2

- Hypoxic Air @
-  10% O2

- O2 out

## Basic layout

- Alarm mode closed

- Air conditioning flow

- System controller and
- O2 monitoring

- Clean out

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Start / Taxi block diagramPreventive mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- System
- 1,2,3 flow
- bleed air until
- 15.2% O2
- 4,5 available if required

- >15.2% O2

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Climb block diagramPreventive mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- Climb 15.2% O2
- 2, 3  recycle
- 1 make up
- for leakage if required

- >15.2% O2

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Cruise block diagramPreventive mode

- Cruise block diagramPreventive mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- >15.2% O2

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

- Cruise only
- a small
- maintenance
- flow requirement

## Descent block diagramPreventive mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- >15.2% O2

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

- Descent
- will require a
- flow larger to
- make up for
- decrease in
- altitude

## Alarm  Block Diagram Inert mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- >10% O2

**Alarm**
- all MDEAL
- filters on at
- max flow
- to bring the
- Cargo bay to
- below 12.2 % O2

***Water mist for temp control***

**H****2****O**
- via
- LPDFmister

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Post Alarm Descent block diagram Inert mode

- Airpack

- 2

- 1

- 3

- 4

- 5

- >12.2% O2

**Water off**
**reduced **
**O****2**** flow**
**is maintained **
**until airport**
**ARFF crew**
**on scene**

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Fusion of two technologies

- Advantages
- uses existing systems
- light weight
- simple
- will operate as long as the engines are running
- “**Gate to Gate**” suppression
- No existing or foreseen future environmental impacts
- easily expandable for SFAR 88 or hidden fires, cabin water mist
- we are extinguishing the fires

- Obstacles
- New technology
- New paradigm in fire suppression
- will be hard due to existing thoughts on protection are “it **needs to be a GAS**”

- Nov 2003 IAI proprietary

## Bulk Load Temp profile

## Bulk load MPS profile

## Container load Temp

## Container load

## Surface load (high) temp

## Surface load (high) MPS

## Surface load (Mid) Temp

## Surface load  (Mid) MPS

## Phase II  FirePASS Preventive 

- Use the Bulk load igniter box
- Place in center of the Cargo MPS device
- reduce the O2 to 14%
- apply power to the NiCrome wire
- Wait for the smoke to clear.

- Did two test to date 45 minute and 90 minute

## Test one last Thursday

- 45 minute with power applied
- Temp went to 325 F for 10 minutes then stabilized at 145 F
- Some char and discoloration inside the box  NO FLAMES
- _[detailed data at www.pyrogen.com](http://www.pyrogen.com/IAIfireLabmist.htm)_

## Test two last Friday

**Same test set up**
- (same box with new paper)
- 90 minute test
- Power applied at 14% oxygen content T=0
- Temps +350 F for 20 minutes
- after temp drop and stabilized at 137 F, we increased the O2 by 1% every 20 minutes
- ignition wire dropped and burned through the bottom of the box with NO FLAMES
- We started to see a 40 Deg F temp rise at 15.2% O2 at T+84 minutes. Stopped the test at 90 minutes
- future test planned

## Slide 31

## Data  was collected with virtual instruments constructed with “National Instruments” LabView  DAQ software and a SCXI signal conditioner 
Test data and remote video observations available via TCP/ IP connection
Data is updated and posted at http://www.pyrogen.com/IAIfireLabmist.htm
For further information contact:

John Brooks
Director of Research
International Aero Inc
11817 Westar Lane
Burlington Wa. 98233
P 360 757 2376 F 360 757 4841 
 jbrooks@pyrogen.com
www.pyrogen.com

- Test data and remote video observations available via TCP/ IP connection
- Data is updated and posted at _[http://www.pyrogen.com/IAIfireLabmist.htm](http://www.pyrogen.com/IAIfireLabmist.htm)_
- For further information contact:
**John Brooks**
**Director of Research**
**International Aero Inc**
**11817 Westar Lane**
**Burlington Wa. 98233**
**P 360 757 2376 F 360 757 4841 **
** **_[jbrooks@pyrogen.com](mailto:jbrooks@pyrogen.com)_
- _[www.pyrogen.com](http://www.pyrogen.com/)_

## “Your Interior Configuration Specialist”

**“****Your Interior Configuration Specialist”**
**Thank You**
- No Animals real or imaginary were injured while performing these test