Investigation of Source of Irritant Gas Produced by PATRIOT Missile System Air Conditioners

Abstract

Reported illnesses of persons working in PATRIOT Missile System equipment shelters were investigated and found to have been caused by exposure to Hydrolyzable Fluoride (HF). PATRIOT mil spec 18,000 BTU Split-Package Air Conditioners (ACs) produced HF when their heater rod Teflon grommets outgassed upon being subjected to temperatures exceeding 400 F. A PATRIOT Support Project Office retrofit program for series '80 and '81 ACs and engineering changes to series '82 and later units eliminated the TFE grommets and solved the HF exposure problem. Keywords: Ground support systems; Air conditioning equipment; Tetrafluoroethylene resins; Hydrolyzable fluoride; Plastic material outgassing.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 31, 1986
Accession Number
ADA168314

Entities

People

  • Garry W. Perkins
  • John D. Tanner
  • Louis G. Lawrence

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Filters
  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Warfare Agents
  • Detectors
  • Dielectric Gases
  • Fluoropolymers
  • Hydrocarbon Fuels
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Testing
  • Measurement
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Spikes
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Polymer Science and Engineering.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.