NASA-STD-6001B Test 1 Upward Flame Propagation; Sample Length Impact on MOC Investigation

Date

2017-07-16

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

47th International Conference on Environmental Systems

Abstract

Understanding the combustion behavior of materials in the elevated oxygen environments of habitable spacecraft is of utmost importance to crew safety and mission success. Currently, certification for unrestricted flight usage of a material with respect to flammability involves passing the Upward Flame Propagation Test of NASA-STD-6001B (Test 1). This test evaluates materials in a standardized test configuration for two failure criteria: self-extinguishment within 15 cm (6 in.) and the propensity of flame propagation by means of flaming material transfer. By the NASA standard, full-length samples are 30 cm (12 in.) in length; however, factors independent of the test method such as limited material availability or various nonstandard test configurations limit the full pretest sample lengths available for test. This paper characterizes the dependence, if any, of pretest sample length on NASA-STD-6001B Test 1 results. Testing was performed using the Maximum Oxygen Concentration (MOC) Threshold Method to obtain a data set for each sample length tested. In addition, various material types, including cloth (Nomex), foam (TA-301) and solids (Ultem), were tested to investigate potential effects of test specimen types. Though additional data needs to be generated to provide statistical confidence, preliminary findings are that use of variable sample lengths has minimal impact on NASA-STD-6001B flammability performance and MOC determination.

Description

Alfredo Juarez, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) - Jacobs, USA
Susana Harper, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA
Brenton Woods, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) / Jacobs Technology, USA
ICES509: Fire Safety in Spacecraft and Enclosed Habitats
The 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in South Carolina, USA on 16 July 2017 through 20 July 2017

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Keywords

Maximum Oxygen Concentration (MOC), NASA-STD-6001.B Test 1, Upward Flame Propagation

Citation