Titanium Fuselage Environmental Conditions in Post-Crash Fires

Abstract

A 28-foot titanium fuselage was exposed to a 400-square-foot JP-4 fire for about 2 1/2 minutes. The titanium fuselage remained intact, thus preventing any flames from entering into the cabin. Heating of the cabin pressure sealant and insulation caused these materials to burn. This, in turn, caused significant increases in temperature, smoke, and toxic and combustible gases within the cabin at about 1 minute after fuel ignition and a flash fire at 2 minutes. Theoretical heat transfer calculations were compared with thermocouple data from a section of the fuselage where the insulation did not burn. This comparison indicated that if the insulation and sealant were 'inert,' habitable conditions would have been maintained within the cabin for at least 5 minutes, and perhaps more.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1971
Accession Number
AD0720026

Entities

People

  • Constantine P. Sarkos

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Temperature
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Combustion
  • Convection
  • Dielectric Gases
  • Equations
  • Films
  • Fuselages
  • Heat Transfer
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Measurement
  • Military Aircraft
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Transport Aircraft

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Fire Suppression Systems Design.
  • Pavement Materials Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems