A NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC)-developed cargo-bay smoke detector that the space agency claims will reduce false alarms has been successfully tested by the US Federal Aviation Administration. During the tests the detector had a false alarm rate of zero when exposed to conditions that trigger existing sensors.
The FAA has estimated from airline maintenance reports that 100-200 smoke detector false alarms occur for every actual on-board fire and flightcrews cannot verify fire sensor readings from remote compartments.
The NASA device uses microelectromechanical technology with miniaturised carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide sensors and a smoke particle detector. “We look for increased concentrations of combustion gases along with the smoke,” says Gary Hunter, a GRC sensor and electronics branch aerospace engineer.
Tests were conducted in a Boeing 707 underfloor cargo bay at the FAA cargo compartment fire testing facility in Atlantic City, New Jersey. If fitted to aircraft, the sensors would be placed in multiple locations in cargo and baggage compartments.
As well as the FAA and GRC, Ohio State University, California- based Makel Engineering and Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University were involved.
ROB COPPINGER/LONDON
Source: Flight International
