Using Powder Packs for Passive Fire Protection of Military Vehicles

The U.S. Army Requirement for a Replacement for Halon 1301

“…The method of heat absorption can be by heat capacity of a liquid plus heat of vaporization, plus heat capacity of the vapor, as in the case of water. A gaseous agent, such as CF 3 Br does not have a high heat capacity of the vapor, yet a heatabsorption contribution to flame extinguishment is present even in the case of Halon 1301. An agent such as C 3 HF 7 will have a higher heat-absorbing ability than Halon 1301 has, plus a chemical contribution, in removing free radicals from the flame.…”

“…But each fluorine can be responsible for the removal of only one hydrogen atom. In the case of a bromine containing agent, such as CF 3 Br, the bromine atom has the ability to remove many hydrogen atoms from the flame. Therefore, the bromine moiety of CF 3 Br is responsible for making Halon 1301 a catalytic chemical agent.…”