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A New Test Method for Material Flammability Assessment in Microgravity and Extraterrestrial EnvironmentsThe standard oxygen consumption (cone) calorimeter (described in ASTM E 1354 and NASA STD 6001 Test 2) is modified to provide a bench-scale test environment that simulates the low velocity buoyant or ventilation flow generated by or around a burning surface in a spacecraft or extraterrestrial gravity level. The Equivalent Low Stretch Apparatus (ELSA) uses an inverted cone geometry with the sample burning in a ceiling fire (stagnation flow) configuration. For a fixed radiant flux, ignition delay times for characterization material PMMA are shown to decrease by a factor of three at low stretch, demonstrating that ignition delay times determined from normal cone tests significantly underestimate the risk in microgravity. The critical heat flux for ignition is found to be lowered at low stretch as the convective cooling is reduced. At the limit of no stretch, any heat flux that exceeds the surface radiative loss at the surface ignition temperature is sufficient for ignition. Regression rates for PMMA increase with heat flux and stretch rate, but regression rates are much more sensitive to heat flux at the low stretch rates, where a modest increase in heat flux of 25 kW/m2 increases the burning rates by an order of magnitude. The global equivalence ratio of these flames is very fuel rich, and the quantity of CO produced in this configuration is significantly higher than standard cone tests. These results [2] demonstrate the ELSA apparatus allows us to conduct normal gravity experiments that accurately and quantifiably evaluate a material s flammability characteristics in the real-use environment of spacecraft or extra-terrestrial gravitational acceleration. These results also demonstrate that current NASA STD 6001 Test 2 (standard cone) is not conservative since it evaluates materials flammability with a much higher inherent buoyant convective flow.
Document ID
20040084155
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Olson, S. L. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Beeson, H. D. (NASA White Sands Test Facility NM, United States)
Haas, J. P. (NASA White Sands Test Facility NM, United States)
Baas, J. S. (NASA White Sands Test Facility NM, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Strategic Research to Enable NASA's Exploration Missions Conference
Subject Category
Composite Materials
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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IDRelationTitle20040084137Collected WorksStrategic Research to Enable NASA's Exploration Missions Conference
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