# Presentation: 691237

## NASA OBIGGS / OBOGS Update

- International Aircraft Systems Fire Protection Working Group
- by
- Clarence T. Chang
- NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP)
- Fire-Prevention Element Leader
- October 30, 2002
- Atlantic City, New Jersey

**Notes:**
Clarence Chang – Bio
NASA Glenn Research Center 

Clarence Chang is NASA Glenn Research Center’s Aviation Safety Program Level-3 element leader. He currently oversees sub-elements in OBIGGS/OBOGS, fire-safe fuels, and fire-detection sensor and modeling. He worked on aero-propulsion projects in gas-phase mixing, spray combustion, emission reduction, and is currently working on active combustion control. He is a mechanical engineer and holds a BSE from University of Pennsylvania and MS and Ph.D. from MIT.

## Issues

- State of the NASA OBIGGS/OBOGS contract and technology development selection rationale
- Fire-safe-Fuel Research Status

## OBIGGS/OBOGS Program Status

- Eight firms submitted ten proposals
- No new OBIGGS technologies beyond NASA/CR-2001-210950 report. Limited oxygen-generation interest.
- FAA already built OBIGGS system with state-of-the-art HFM technology! What’s next?
- Four contractors selected
- Essex Cryogenics – comprehensive oxygen system
- Valcor – high-temperature hollow fiber membrane
- Creare – miniature turbo-compressor
- Honeywell – high-T HFM and control strategy

**Notes:**
Late last year we put out a Sources Sought and later on a request for proposal (RFP) for OBIGGS/OBOGS technology development. Eight firms submitted 10 proposals.

We did not select any cryogenic system. We feel there are some serious issues that still need to be addressed in order for such a system to be placed on an airtransport. In any case, a cryogenic separation system is currently funded under NASA’s SBIR program which we are closely monitoring.
In a way, we were surprised that there were no surprises. There were no exotic things such as paramagnetic oxygen separation. There were no new OBIGGS/OBOGS technologies beyond the NASA contractor report that Tom Reynolds of Boeing and Thor Eklund put together for us. Of all of the proposals, most of them were based on state of the art hollow-fiber-membrane OBIGGS technology. Only about half of them have provisions for oxygen. We did not consider the lack of oxygen as being non-compliant. We figured if someone can come up with an OBIGGS system much cheaper to operate than what we have now without having to deal with oxygen, that’s well worth a look.

All of the proposed systems can meet the OBIGGS performance specs. And all of the proposers were willing to put up significant amount of their own resources beyond what NASA’s putting up. This was encouraging. However, what drove the selection of the proposals was what technology advancement beyond the state of the art will we get. NASA’s charter is to push the performance envelope of technology. The FAA’s already build a working prototype based upon state of the art HFM air separation modules. What can we do to get better performance by either completely different technology or improved key components?

With this question in mind, we chose four proposals based upon their special niches.

Essex Cryogenics teamed up with Air Liquide on a HFM-based system that has comprehensive oxygen generation builit in. That’s what caught our attention.

Valcor very bluntly stated that they want to build their system around a developing higher temperature hollow fiber membrane that will allow significant savings.

Creare’s system is in many ways similar to Valcor’s but their chief claim is their interest in using miniature turbo-compressor to reduce electrical and bleed air consumption.

And lastly, Honeywell also proposed a system based on a different high-temperature HFM but with an interesting control strategy.

## OBIGGS/OBOGS Program Status (continued)

- Five-month feasibility assessment (Phase I) on critical issues to overcome. Airframe integration input from Boeing.
- Currently establishing non-disclosure agreement with Boeing
- NASA has option to continue hardware development through FY04 (Phase II) – enough funding to support up to three
- NASA will announce Phase II hardware development Sources Sought in January 2003 for other hardware ideas.
- Contact Clarence Chang at 216-433-8561
-                               Clarence.T.Chang@grc.nasa.gov

**Notes:**
The four contracts went into effect in September and will last five months. They will be looking at the critical issues and the solutions that will be needed in order to get such a system working. For this purpose, we have contracted with Boeing to provide airframe integration expertise to these contractors directly so that these issues can be raised and dealt with early on. For this purpose, NASA’s contract requires each contractor to establish a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Boeing.

When the five months of Phase I finishes, NASA has the option to continue hardware development (Phase II) through FY04. We will evaluate each of the works and decide which one will be funded. We currently have enough funding to support up to three such projects.

For those who have new ideas or ideas that did not work out on the last round, another opportunity will open up on this hardware development process. At the end of this Phase I, NASA will consider hardware development proposals at the same level of expertise as those from the current Phase I works.

## Fire-Safe-Fuels Research Status

- Currently doing base-line fuel testing. 12/2002 milestone.
- Establish a “research” Jet-A blend from pure substances for ignition-reduction additive testing.
- Contact Marty Rabinowitz at 216-433-5847
-                     Martin.J.Rabinowitz@grc.nas.agov

_***Fire-Safe-Fuels Research Status***_

**Notes:**
The second half of our fuel-tank safety work is the fuels. Over the last 6 months we have established criteria as to what constitute a “good” ignition kernel in order to make the ignition energy level consistent. Much of this is done through high-speed imaging of the ignition kernels.

Currently we are doing base-line fuel testing with Jet-A to look at what constitute the physical and chemical properties of a “typical” Jet-A fuel. This work is scheduled to be finished by the end of the calendar year.

Based on the base-line fuel, we will establish a “research” Jet-A blend from perhaps a dozen pure substances such that the blend can be recreated for ignition-reduction additive testing.

If you have any question, please contact Marty Rabinowitz at the listed number and address.