application note

Aircraft Hangar Protection

Flame and gas detection in aircraft maintenance and storage facilities

A Few Detection Points

In general, fuel leaks accumulate under the wing and aircraft fuselage, therefore it is recommended that flame detectors be mounted on hangar walls (rather than on the ceiling) to view the area under airplane wings. Unless they are EMI/RFI hardened, some flame detectors can be activated (go into alarm) by interference from plane and airport radar, communications, and X-rays. Place combustible gas detectors in storage areas where volatile gases or liquids are stored.

Aircraft hangars provide weather protection and shop space for aircraft storage, corrosion control (painting), and maintenance. While some structures house one or more of a single aircraft type, other hangars house a combination of planes, jets, and helicopters. In most commercial and military hangars, dozens of engineers and technicians repair, service, and maintain each aircraft around the clock. Most aircraft maintenance activities are conducted in the presence of flammable materials, such as aviation fuels, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, cleaning solvents, and paints. To protect life, safety, aircraft, and the hangar structure, certain Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) either require or strongly recommend high-performance fire detection and suppression systems to cover both the aircraft and the building. Flame Detection Challenges in Hangars Aircraft hangars present challenges and obstructions to hazard detection: large detection expanse, fuel, solvents, vapor accumulation, and radar and electrical interference.

Figure 1. A X3301 Multispectrum infrared flame detector on the job after an alarm and engagement of a foam suppression system.

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Large detection expanse: Because hangars are large, flame detection can be a daunting task. Questions arise such as: What is the detectors range; and how is adequate coverage maintained in the center of the hangar? How is detection to be maintained while moveable objects (including planes themselves) might block the detectors view? Fuel: Although crews often remove as much fuel (aviation jet fuel or aviation gasoline) as possible from tanks before an aircraft enters the hangar, many hangars service other than unfueled aircraft (NFPA 409). Flammable solvents and toxic chemicals: These substances are required in some aircraft inspection-and-repair procedures. For example, fuel system leak testing is often performed using aviation fuel. Vapor accumulation: Solvent storage areas can collect explosive concentrations of materials. In addition, corrosion-control (painting) operations can cause vapor build-up which could lead to fire. Radar and electrical interference: Some flame detectors can be activated (go into alarm) by interference from plane and airport radar, communication devices, and X-ray machines. Good practice is to use EMI/RFI hardened detection devices. Gas Detection: The Early Warning Combustible gas detectors can provide early warning of a combustible gas or vapor concentration build-up. It is advisable to use fixed gas detectors in areas where combustible gases and high vapor-pressure combustible liquids are stored or handled. For example, aviation gasoline is highly combustible and easily detected by certain fixed gas detectors. Although aviation jet fuels can have relatively low vapor pressures, they can enter the combustible range easily when the ambient temperature is high. Gas detectors are highly effective in that situation. Due to the density of most vapors in hangar environments, gas detectors should be placed near the ground where the high-density vapors collect. Infrared combustible gas sensors are recommended over catalytic combustible gas detectors for reliable detection of virtually any hydrocarbon combustible gas. Catalytic gas detectors do not have a self-checking function and can be poisoned by cleaning agents present in hangars. Infrared

Figure 2. Gas detection can be the first line of defense by detecting combustible gases.

gas detectors, such as the Pointwatch Eclipse detector shown in Figure 2, provide strong reliability and longevity in aircraft hangar environments and are unaffected by agents that can poison catalytic bead sensors. Flame Detection Solutions The quick response capability, adjustable field of view, and programmability provided by optical flame detectors make them extremely well suited for monitoring aircraft hangars. The Det-Tronics X3301 Multispectrum IR (MultiIR) optical flame detector (Figure 1), measures radiant energy in three infrared bandwidths and is resistant to false alarms. It also provides a periodic optical integrity self-check to verify its own proper operation. Det-Tronics X3301 MultiIR flame detectors reject nuisance alarm sources that can be common within aircraft hangars, such as welding, radar signals, and X-ray inspections. Equally important, it will detect flames in the presence of these common radiant energy sources. Recommended for its long detection range, the X3301 MultiIR flame detector can detect a 2-square-foot JP-5 fire at 210 feet on-axis and 180 feet off-axis, permitting low cost of coverage. The added detection range also offers substantial savings in voted systems due to the increased overlap of the detectors cone of vision.

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Figure 3. Correct positioning of the flame detectors can reduce areas of unseen danger under aircraft wings (drawing not to scale).

Total Safety System Solutions Many design engineers either choose to or are required to comply with NFPA 72 suppression/releasing standard or equivalent standard. The Det-Tronics Eagle Quantum Premier system meets all NFPA requirements. Among other features, the solution offers a fault tolerant addressable system that provides all the diagnostics and planned maintenance tools required in hangar applications. Placement of Flame Detectors In general, fuel leaks accumulate under the wing and aircraft fuselage, therefore it is a common fire location. Fire detection equipment mounted on the hangar ceiling might not detect underwing fires in time to save the aircraft. Detector placement on walls, shown in figures 3 and 4, is preferred over ceiling mounting. In cold climates, most hangars use gas fired heaters which often create a flame during start-up. The X3301 with the hangar-mode option provides a nine-second processing delay to ignore short-duration flames. Orient detectors so they view the area of interest only. For example, mount the detectors looking into rather than out of the hangar, where flames from jet engines might cause an alarm. Accessories such as sight limiters can also be used to reduce the detectors view outside of the hangar. Detector Electronics Corporation strongly recommends facility risk analysis, proper detection system design, and implementation of approved hazard monitoring and mitigation devices in strategic locations to ensure proper protection of the aircraft, hangar, and operating personnel.

Figure 4. An example of flame-detector placement in a hangar. With its long detection range, the X3301 MultiIR flame detector saves money because few are required to cover a large area.

Please consult a flame/gas-detection professional for assistance and additional information on the proper application of flame/gas detectors.

Detector Electronics Corporation 6901 West 110th Street Minneapolis MN 55438 USA 800 765 3473 ph 952 829 8750 fax www.det-tronics.com det-tronics@det-tronics.com

Det-Tronics, the DET-TRONICS logo, Pointwatch Eclipse, and Eagle Quantum Premier are registered trademarks of Detector Electronics Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. Copyright Detector Electronics Corporation 2009. All rights reserved.

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