EVALUATION OF FLAME ARRESTOR MATERIALS FOR AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEMS
Abstract
Experimental data are presented from small-scale and full-scale experiments on the flame arrestor effectiveness of polyurethane foam material with 10 pores/inch. Tests conducted which verified the effectiveness of a the 10-pore/inch material for use in at least a fully-packed aircraft fuel tank configuration at atmospheric pressure conditions. In addition, various flame arrestor void configurations designed for external and integral fuel tank applications were examined with near-stoichiometric n-pentane or n-butane and air mixtures at various pressures (0 to 20 psig) and ambient temperature conditions. In the small-scale experiments conducted with cylindrical arrestor segments, the effectiveness of the candidate arrestor material was influenced by variations in the diameter of the test vessel, arrestor length (l2), flame run-up distance or ignition void length (l1), initial combustible mixture pressure, and fuel vapor-air ratio. Observed pressure rises at a mixture pressure of 0 psig were generally less than 10 psi at l2/l1 ratios greater than about 1.5; they increased greatly at ratios less than this value.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0380877
Entities
People
- Aldo L. Furno
- Alphonse Bartkowiak
- Joseph M. Kuchta
- Ralph J. Cato