International Aircraft Materials Fire Test Working Group Meeting

1
International Aircraft Materials Fire Test
Working Group Meeting

• Task Group Session on New Flammability Test for
  Magnesium-Alloy Seat Structure

International Aircraft Materials Fire Test
Working Group, Atlantic City
Tim Marker, FAA Technical Center
October 19-20, 2011
2
Proposed Magnesium Alloy Flammability Test
Objective reproduce results obtained in
full-scale tests
WE-43 After several minutes of exposure, remove
burner, sample burns for approx 1 minute
3
Truncated Cone Test Sample of Magnesium Alloy
2
10
4
Planned Activities for Summer 2011
from previous meeting in Bremen
Continue testing of various magnesium alloys, how
do they react compared to WE-43 and AZ-31

• AZ91E
• AZ80
• ZK60
• ZE41
• Elektron 21
• Elektron 675

5
Problems Encountered with Truncated Cone
Repeatability
Molten section of cone falls down into pan, no
ignition
Molten alloy creates thin shape which is ignited
ignition stops after short period
4/11/2011
Molten alloy creates shape that ignites ignition
of remaining cone occurs, resulting in extended
ignition
6
Problems Encountered with Truncated Cone
Wide range of test results based on melting
process
4/11/2011
7
4/11/2011
8
Truncated Cone on Side
Determine if ignition will continue horizontally
No ignition 600
4/11/2011
WE-43
9/20/11
9
Horizontal Thin Cylinder Sample
Ignition 615
Burner off 700
4/11/2011
AZ-31
9/21/11
10
Horizontal Thin Cylinder Sample (post test)
Sample completely burns up
4/11/2011
9/21/11
11
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Box
Determine ignition/burning on thin-walled specimen
4/11/2011
9/22/11
12
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Box
4/11/2011
9/22/11
13
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Box
Burn at 410
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 620
After burn 120
9/22/11
14
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Baggage Bar
4/11/2011
9/22/11
15
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Baggage Bar
4/11/2011
9/22/11
16
Horizontally Mounted Thin Rectangular Baggage Bar
Burn at 250
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 420
After burn 020
9/22/11
17
Leg Plate I Web Mounted Horizontally
4/11/2011
9/22/11
18
Leg Plate I Web Mounted Horizontally
4/11/2011
9/22/11
19
Leg Plate I Web Mounted Horizontally
Burn at 445
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 630
After burn 130
9/22/11
20
T Web Machined from Leg Post, Mounted
Horizontally
3/16 Vertical Web x ½ Horizontal Web
4/11/2011
9/27/11
21
T Web Machined from Leg Post, Mounted
Horizontally
3/16 Vertical Web x ½ Horizontal Web
4/11/2011
9/27/11
22
T Web Machined from Leg Post, Mounted
Horizontally
1/8 Vertical Web x ½ Horizontal Web
Burn at 435
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 500
After burn 000
9/28/11
23
T Web Machined from Leg Post, Mounted
Horizontally
1/16 Vertical Web x ½ Horizontal Web
4/11/2011
9/28/11
24
T Web Machined from Leg Post, Mounted
Horizontally
1/16 Vertical Web x ½ Horizontal Web
Burn at 450
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 550
After burn 050
9/28/11
25
Inverted Cone WE-43, Suspended Vertically
4/11/2011
9/29/11
26
Inverted Cone WE-43, Suspended Vertically
4/11/2011
9/29/11
27
Inverted Cone WE-43, Suspended Vertically
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 500
After burn 000
9/29/11
28
Inverted Thinner Cone AZ-31, Suspended Vertically
4/11/2011
9/29/11
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Inverted Thinner Cone AZ-31, Suspended Vertically
4/11/2011
9/29/11
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Inverted Thinner Cone AZ-31, Suspended Vertically
4/11/2011
9/29/11
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Inverted Thinner Cone AZ-31, Suspended Vertically
Burn at 035
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 400
After burn 000
9/29/11
32
Inverted Thinner Cone AZ-31, Suspended Vertically
(repeat)
Burn at 035
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 400
After burn 000
9/29/11
33
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Horizontally
Test 1
4/11/2011
9/30/11
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Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Horizontally
Test 1
Burn at 250
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 540
After burn 140
9/30/11
35
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Horizontally
Test 2
4/11/2011
9/30/11
36
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Horizontally
Test 2
Burn at 227
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 530
After burn 130
9/30/11
37
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Test 1
4/11/2011
9/30/11
38
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Test 1
4/11/2011
9/30/11
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Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Test 1
Burn at 228
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 520
After burn 120
9/30/11
40
Circular Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Test 2
Burn at 233
Burner off 400
4/11/2011
Sample out 535
After burn 135
9/30/11
41
Various Tested Samples
4/11/2011
9/30/11
42
Circular Tube WE-43, Test Results
4/11/2011
10/03/11
43
4/11/2011
44
Circular Tube Aluminum, Mounted Vertically
for comparison to mag-alloy samples
Test 1
4/11/2011
10/03/11
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Circular Tube Aluminum, Mounted Vertically
for comparison to mag-alloy samples
4/11/2011
10/03/11
46
Circular Tube Aluminum, Mounted Vertically
for comparison to mag-alloy samples
4/11/2011
10/03/11
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Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Standard 8-inch WE-43 cone drilled-out, 5.5
inches high
4/11/2011
10/04/11
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Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Standard 8-inch WE-43 cone drilled-out, 5.5
inches high, volcano effect
Burn at 430
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 2300
After burn 1800
10/04/11
49
Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Standard 8-inch WE-43 cone drilled-out, 5.5
inches high (repeat)
4/11/2011
10/05/11
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Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Standard 8-inch WE-43 cone drilled-out, 5.5
inches high (repeat)
Burn none
Burner off 600
4/11/2011
Sample out 600
After burn 000
10/05/11
51
Rectangular Box Section WE-43, Mounted Vertically
4/11/2011
10/06/11
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Rectangular Box Section WE-43, Mounted Vertically
Ign at 320
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 500
After burn 000
10/06/11
53
Rectangular Box Section WE-43, Mounted Vertically
(rotate 90o)
4/11/2011
10/06/11
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Rectangular Box Section WE-43, Mounted Vertically
(rotate 90o)
Burn at 240
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 830
After burn 330
10/06/11
55
Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
10/11/11 milled-out WE-43 cone, 5.5 inches high
(3 inch deep milling)
4/11/2011
10/11/11
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Conical Tube WE-43, Mounted Vertically
10/11/11 milled-out WE-43 cone, 5.5 inches high
(3 inch deep milling)
Burn at 448
Burner off 500
4/11/2011
Sample out 500
After burn 000
57
Summary of Results
Truncated cone sample suffered from repeatability
issues

• Time of ignition dependent on resulting molten
  shape

4/11/2011

• Duration of burning following burner flame
  removal also dependent on resulting molten shape
  

Hollow cross-sections demonstrated better
ignitability than solid cross-sections

• Thinner wall has tendency to ignite simultaneous
  to melting

• Thick cross sections melt into complex shapes
  prior to ignition, reducing repeatability

Hollow cylinder test sample demonstrates good
repeatability

• Time of ignition and duration of after flame very
  consistent

• Resulting molten shape also very repeatable,
  demonstrating test robustness

58
Planned Activities
Continue with testing of hollow cylinders to
further define repeatability
Experiment with smaller diameter hollow cylinders
to determine repeatability
Experiment with hollow cylinders in other
mag-alloys?
Experiment with other hollow shapes?
Begin to refine test parameters (i.e., time to
ignition, exposure time, after flame duration)