SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1988
STP26738S

ASTM Committee G-4 Metals Flammability Test Program: Data and Discussion

Source

Twenty-six metals tested in the NASA White Sands Test Facility promoted combustion, frictional heating, and particle impact test systems. Their burn propagation and ignition characteristics were observed, and the metals were ranked according to their suitability for use in oxygen systems. In the promoted combustion tests, the solid rod specimens were subjected to heat released by a burning promoter at oxygen pressures up to 48 MPa (7000 psig). The highest pressure at which a test specimen would not burn more than 5 cm (2 in.) and the burn propagation rates were determined. In the frictional heating tests, the ends of two hollow cylinders were rubbed together in oxygen at 7 MPa (1000 psig). The energy flux (product of contact pressure and velocity) required to ignite the specimens was determined. In the particle impact tests, the specimens were impacted by a 2000-μm aluminum particle entrained in 28 MPa (4000 psig) oxygen that was flowing at supersonic velocities. The temperature at which the specimens ignite was determined. In general, the results indicate that alloys with high copper and nickel content and low iron content perform better than those with high iron content. Alloys with high aluminum content perform the worst. Copper, which was alloyed with 7% aluminum, performs significantly worse than expected in all the tests.

Author Information

Stoltzfus, JM
Lockheed-EMSCO, Johnson Space Center, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM
Homa, JM
Lockheed-EMSCO, Johnson Space Center, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM
Williams, RE
Lockheed-EMSCO, Johnson Space Center, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM
Benz, FJ
NASA, Johnson Space Center, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM
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Details
Developed by Committee: G04
Pages: 28–53
DOI: 10.1520/STP26738S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5055-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0998-8