Flame Tube and Ballistic Evaluation of Explosafe Aluminum Foil for Aircraft Fuel Tank Explosion Protection
Abstract
This report presents the combustion and gunfire testing conducted by the AFWAL/PO and the AVRADCOM/Applied Technology Laboratory in support of a joint USAF/Army and Canadian Government project to evaluate an advanced metal foil explosion suppressor called Explosafe for potential use in protecting aircraft fuel tanks. This material is manufactured by Vulcan Industrial Packaging Limited, (VIPL), Explosafe Division, and is processed by slitting, expanding and stacking aluminum foil into batts. The density is varied either by changing the foil thickness at a constant expansion width or by changing the expansion width at a constant foil thickness. The scope of this in-house program was to determine: (1) the material's ability to suppress combustion overpressures through small scale laboratory testing and through full scale ballistic testing, (2) to establish an optimum material density versus performance and (3) to compare the results to the reticulated polyurethane foam. The AFWAL/PO conducted the laboratory tests in a flame tube over several densities of 3 foil thicknesses and the Army conducted the ballistic tests in a heavy structural fuel tank over 3 densities of 3 foil thicknesses. Results of these tests indicated that a 2.0 mil foil around the 2.0 no./cu ft region was an optimum foil thickness and weight density to be used in the remaining tests of the joint program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA093542
Entities
People
- Charles Pedriani
- Thomas A. Hogan
Organizations
- Wright Laboratory