RedBrooks Laboratory, FAA Fire Research

The Doll Group tried to finance but failed to form a new laboratory testing facility. The fire Lab is now StillBrooks Laboratory (SBL)., a new state of the art materials and fire test facility. Our long standing goal is still to improved airline cabin safety, but we are expanding into wildland urban interface structural fire protection, transportation, agricultural and energy sectors. The procurement of the Fire Suppression Laboratory was the first of several long range projects at Doll Group that were abandon due to lack of investors after Bob Doll scrummed to a long battle with cancer.
Still directed by John Brooks, and managed by Dai Vaughn, the laboratory is designed to do all of the current and proposed FAA mandated flammability certification test. In addition to the current requirements SBL is involved with several international aviation safety committees, determining the future of airline safety. As will as new construction materials and agricultural soil additives.
Stillbrooks Laboratory (SBL) will still conduct similar research programs to improve fire safety in commercial transport aircraft. The research is comprised of three separate but complimentary, programs: Advanced Fire Fighting Agents, Fire Resistant Materials and Fire Detection Methods. These are long range programs to develop the enabling technology for ultra-fire resistant aircraft. Development of interior materials that can be applied in the after market to the existing worldwide airline fleet. Detection and mitigation of electrical wiring defects as an ignition source in aged aircraft is one such company focus. Novel fault detection methods and electrical power distribution research is on going in the laboratory.

Thanks to Jim Clyne of the Orcon Corp. for the above test photo.
The below shots were taken during the first of the FAA Fuselage Burnthrough, round robin test of thermal acoustic insulation blanket systems. This important test series will make airliner cabins more survivable in post crash fires. The materials tested will lead to more fire resistant and lighter weight insulation systems.

Stillbrooks Laboratory (SBL) is a proud sponsor of this critical international safety program.

Click the image for a larger view.
.. The facility incorporates a 4 x 4 meter square exhaust hood to support both small and medium scale live fire test. The latest National instruments LabView data acquisition software, and SCXI Signal conditioning system. Ten video channels with formats including Hi-8, SVHS, and VHS. Digital still photo and video capture allow for better documentation of all test. We can now port up to live 8 cameras to the internet, DER/DAR witness fire test can be transmitted live to your facility. For a small set up and license fee you can now watch your testing live from the comfort of your office PC or project it in your board room. Additionally the scale of testing, depending on the test objectives, can be varied from a realistic, full-scale 30 foot long narrow body fuselage to milligram samples of advanced polymers. The behavior of aircraft materials and the effectiveness of fire suppression agents are analysed based on computer measurements and digital video test coverage. The facility also contains tests for aged aircraft wiring arc propagation and arc fault mitigation including over 75 kW of 400Hz power sources.

Established to full comply with existing FAR 25.853 as well as the Fire Test handbook. We are also involved as new proposed rules (NPRM) are being developed.

Capabilities and services include: FAR 25.853

Vertical burn
Horizontal burn
45 deg burn
Passenger seat coverings and fireblocking
Cargo liners
Halon alternative Cargo Compartment
*Qualmark OVS-1 HALT/HASS Vibration Chamber (-100 to +200C 0 to 90 G's)
New Fuselage Burn through (in support of the Thermal Acoustic Insulation Blanket replacement program)

* HALTS/HASS chamber on Loan to the ISO standards committee working group, Service is not available at this time.

The RBL fire / burn facility is available to test or evaluate your products. Round Robin V is complete. Schedule your Live Fire Test now. Suppression agent screening for Bell Textron is underway and the lab is now fully booked. Some dates in 2004 are available. Scaled and development test slots are now available. Weekends available on a AOG or critical basis only. Click here to Request lab time

StillBrooks Laboratory Research and Development testing

Halon alternative replacement agent program

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) for aerospace with specific Arc Event Identification and precise aircraft location. ( the Where and Why of a popped AFCI breaker ) This is now called the Phase II AFPD (intelligent aircraft circuit breaker) and will be incorporated in the new SAE specification for circuit protection devices

TDG's Universal Fault Interrupter (UFI 3000) is a new product that protects an aircraft's electrical systems and components from electrical arcing in and around all critical areas such as fuel pumps, boost pump motors and fuel quantity indicators. This new technology developed by TDG is the first of its kind to detect and continuously prevent line-to-line, line-to-ground and arcfaults simultaneously. Better that the AFCI Circuit Breakers that has higher power dissipation and less effective detection circuitry. The UFI 3000 acts immediately upon fault detection by instantly removing power from the affected area and shutting down the circuit before an arc occurs. The UFI 3000 will assist airlines in complying with SFAR 88 and can be custom-programmed to operate with varying loads and fault detection scenarios.

Mitigation of wildland fires. The urban interface and rural residential fires are one research area that the laboratory is working on. We are developing systems for the Home owner, Rancher, Farmer, and Police to stem the destruction of wild fires. This is a non aviation program but it is hoped to improve life safety for everyone. Derivatives of Polyacrylamide (PAM) include new non-phosphate based air drop retarding and Class A extinguashant. USFS approvals to USFS5100-306 and Class A listing to UL162/NFPA18 are in work. This fire season you can expect to see white not red air drops using these new Polyacrylamides (PAM).

Aircraft wire service life determination and non intrusive wire inspection methods

Mitigation methods to counteract the aged wiring, its components and avionics systems

Hidden fires and Automatic Fire Detection and Monitoring System (AFDAMS). A novel method of detecting fires in non accessible areas of the aircraft (hidden areas) (read the CAA report on Hidden Fire). Real-time monitoring of fire location, flame spread with temperature data to the flight crew. Flight testing is complete look here for the test report.

Water mist suppression and control of airline cabin fires

We were correct water and Dual fluid water mist is better that Halon, read the reports from the FAA server

Heat resistant and fire proof coatings and additives.

Alternative methods of compliance for the airliner Cargo Compartment MPS.

Bifurcated Power Distribution and Arc Detection for Unmanned Air Combat Vehicles (UCAV's). until the UFI 3000, this was the only method capable of DC and three phase arc detection without false trips. This method is still faster, but TDG's device is easier to install and has a downloadable memory for diagnostics and prognostics. Conductive path analysis, and load condition monitoring of the UFI make it superior in existing aircraft applications.
Nano-polymers and flameproof fiber coatings

Testing Services for certifications, developmental testing, prototype of new materials or processes are available. Contact marketing at StillBrooks Laboratories for availability and scheduling.

StillBrooks Maintains membership in or supports the below agencies and organizations:

International Aircraft Systems Fire Protection Working Group
The International Aircraft Materials Fire Test Working Group
Aging Aircraft Wiring Working Group

About

History

Products

Laboratory

Testing

Contacts

Home

US EPA, SNAP, ISO, ICAO, FAA US DOT, NFPA, SAE, FM, NIST, ATA, UL, SSL, AS/NZS, ODP , GWP , Pyrogen , PYROGEN , Airline Cargo conversions , Class A fire , Class B fire , Class C fire , EMAA, Encapsulated Micron Aerosol Agent, FAR 25. Aircraft Cargo Fires, Telecommunications fires , Transportation fires , Petrol chemical fires , Fire detection, Automobile Fire , Truck fires , Train fires , Building fires , Structural fires , petroleum fires , engine fires , marine fires , cargo fires , wood fires , Halon flooding , UL 1058, aircraft fire protection , aircraft crash , airline cargo fire , airline fire protection , FAA Technical center , Oil rig fires , gas rig fires , vehicle fires , electrical fire suppression , computer room fires , ship fires , machinery fires , merchant vessel fires , train fires , generator fires , battery fires , Wheel fires , brake fires , tire fires , car fires , home fires , Loss productivity , boeing fire test , 737 fire test , NRL , Naval Research Laboratory , Naval air systems command , NASC , NAVAIR , AS/NZS 4487:1997 , Joint strike fighter , JSF, HARC , NTSB , Transport canada , NIST , FAA Technical Center , Thermal Acoustic Insulation Blankets , IMO , International Maritime commission , USCG , United states coast guard , MCA , Pyrogen Ltd. Pyrogen Corp. Sdn. Bhd. , IAFC , IFPA ,