Advanced Fire Suppression Technology (AFST) Research and Development Program

Abstract

Abstract : Halon 1301 has been widely used in aircraft fire suppression systems because of its ability to efficiently extinguish fires. Unfortunately, halon production was banned in 1994 because it is an ozone depleting substance. The ban on halon production has created a need for alternative fire suppression technologies in both the military and civilian aircraft industries. Solid Propellant Gas Generators (SPGG) is a viable alternative to halon for in-flight fire suppression. SPGG relies on the controlled burning of solid reactants to produce inert gases (H2O, CO2, and N2) that can be used for fire suppression and it was developed from technology originally applied in automotive airbag devices. The testing discussed in this report is based on the results and conclusions derived from previous testing. SPGG devices and hybrid systems (SPGG used to pressurize a liquid fire extinguishant such as H2O or FM200) were tested against three fire conditions. The test results revealed that SPGG and hybrid systems were effective in extinguishing the fire conditions, but performance was slightly worse than HFC-125 on an agent mass comparison. Further testing and development of the gas generator is required before it is fully understood and can be considered mature.