Large-Scale Outdoor Fire-Released Carbon Fiber Tests
Abstract
Five large-scale outdoor pool fire tests (three source/dissemination and two source) resulted in obtaining characteristic data of carbon fibers released into the atmosphere when carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composite structural components were exposed to large-scale outdoor jet-fuel fires representative of fires expected to be experienced in civil aircraft accidents. Estimated source strength release of carbon fibers varied from 1.1 x ten to the 8th power to 2.9 x ten to the 8th power single fibers released under burn conditions of moderate to high wind speeds (required) in the source/dissemination tests. Estimated source strength data for these trials was derived from fibers captured on a vertical mesh sampler array designed to intercept the fire plume downwind of the source. Estimated single fiber source strengths, derived from the two source burn tests which required wind speeds to be near zero, varied from 2.2 x ten to the 8th power to 2.9 x ten to the 8th power. The fiber data for these tests was obtained by a passive sampler designed to capture fibers contained in the fire plume and rising from the fire. Good correlation of source strength estimates was obtained by the two fiber sampling methods. The mean length of fibers collected on the stainless steel mesh samplers on the vertical array was 4.8 mm while the mean length of fibers collected on the overhead 'Peterson' and DPG stainless steel mesh samplers attached to the overhead canopy array was 3.0 mm.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA089021
Entities
People
- Gary L. Sutton
- John H. Whiting
- Neil G. Magann
- William A. Peterson