Preliminary Study on the Use of PPV During Aircraft Cabin Interior Firefighting

Managing aircraft fires by Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) will be explored using the plan presented in this paper. Firstly, the possible effects of operating PPV on both ventilation-controlled and fuel-controlled fires by scale model studies will be reported. Secondly, indoor aerodynamics with and without operating the PPV fan will be studied in a half-sized aircraft cabin simulator. All these are targeted to properly operate PPV on pushing smoke out of the aircraft to give better visibility within the cabin. Key parameters such as characteristics of the PPV fan will be put into numerical fire simulations. Selected full-scale burning tests will then be ca rried out f or further justification. These results will be useful in determining appropriate PPV parameters in aircraft firefighting strategies.