Browse Topic: Hazards and emergency operations
This study presents a novel methodology for optimizing the acoustic performance of rotating machinery by combining scattered 3D sound intensity data with numerical simulations. The method is demonstrated on the rear axle of a truck. Using Scan&Paint 3D, sound intensity data is rapidly acquired over a large spatial area with the assistance of a 3D sound intensity probe and infrared stereo camera. The experimental data is then integrated into far-field radiation simulations, enabling detailed analysis of the acoustic behavior and accurate predictions of far-field sound radiation. This hybrid approach offers a significant advantage for assessing complex acoustic sources, allowing for quick and reliable evaluation of noise mitigation solutions.
With the exponential rise in drone activity, safely managing low-flying airspace has become challenging — especially in highly populated areas. Just last month an unauthorized drone collided with a ‘Super Scooper’ aircraft above the Los Angeles wildfires, grounding the aircraft for several days and hampering the firefighting efforts.
Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have designed a pneumatic nail penetration trigger system that drives a Li-ion battery cell into thermal runaway using a tungsten nail. By creating a targeted rupture in a battery cell’s outer casing, researchers can initiate an exothermic chain reaction within the battery, much like a short circuit, causing a spike in temperature that can lead to battery failure, fire or explosion.
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) researchers are developing a way to scan for chemical biological agent on surfaces on the fly. Literally on the fly as it consists of an AI-enabled spectrometer mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) sending back vital data in real time. It is called Hyperspectral Threat Anomaly Detection, or HyperThreAD for short.
Conventional solid polymer electrolyte batteries perform poorly due to structural limitations that hinder an optimal electrode contact. This could not eliminate the issue of “dendrites”, where lithium grows in tree-like structures during repeated charging and discharging cycles. Dendrites are a critical issue, as an irregular lithium growth can disrupt battery connections, potentially causing fires and explosions.
Plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has many applications in automotive industry including electrical harnesses, door handles, seat and head rest covers, and instrument panel (IP) and other interior trim. In IP applications, the PVC skin plays a critical role in passenger airbag deployment (PAB) by tearing along the scored edge of the PAB door and allowing the door to open and the airbag to inflate to protect the occupant. As part of the IP, the PVC skin may be exposed to elevated temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) radiation during the years of the vehicle life cycle which can affect the PVC material properties over time and potentially influence the kinematics of the airbag deployment. Chemical and thermal aging of plasticized PVC materials have been studied in the past, yet no information is found on how the aging affects mechanical properties at high rates of loading typical for airbag deployment events. This paper compares mechanical properties of the virgin PVC-based IP skin
Lead-filled aprons are currently used for atomic number (Z)-grade radiation shielding in the medical industry to protect personnel from hazardous gamma radiation. These apron garments are made with lead-filled elastomeric sheets encased in polymeric fabrics and are both heavy and bulky to meet necessary shielding requirements. In addition, there are environmental safety concerns surrounding disposal of these garments due to their lead content. An innovator at NASA Langley Research Center has developed a novel method for making thin, lightweight radiation shielding that can be sprayed or melted onto common textiles used in clothing such as cotton, nylon, polyester, Nomex, and Kevlar.
Batteries in electric vehicles can fail quickly, sometimes catching fire without much warning. Sandia National Laboratories is working to detect these failures early and provide sufficient warning time to vehicle occupants.
This document is intended to describe how to conduct lightning direct effects tests and indirect system upset effects tests. Indirect effects upset and damage tolerance tests for individual equipment items are addressed in RTCA DO-160/ED-14. Documents relating to other aspects of the certification process, including definition of the lightning environment, zoning, and indirect effects certification, are listed in Section 2. This document presents test techniques for simulated lightning testing of aircraft and the associated systems. This document does not include design criteria, nor does it specify which items should or should not be tested. Acceptable levels of damage and/or pass/fail criteria for the qualification tests must be approved by the appropriate airworthiness authority for each particular case. When lightning tests are a part of a certification plan, the test methods described herein are an acceptable means, but not the only means, of meeting the test requirements of the
While DNA damage caused by space radiation exposure has long been recognized as a major threat to astronaut health, a recent study published in Redox Biology (Stolc et al., 2024) reveals an unexpected culprit in the atmosphere of the International Space Station (ISS) itself: elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. In this study, mice were sent into space where they spent 5–6 week aboard the ISS.
Nowadays, there are many technologies emerging like firefighting robots, quadcopters, and drones which are capable of operating in hazardous disaster scenarios. In recent years, fire emergencies have become an increasingly serious problem, leading to hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the destruction of property worth millions of dollars. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded approximately 1,218 fire incidents resulting in 1,694 deaths in 2020 alone. Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that fires account for around 265,000 deaths each year, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The existing fire-extinguishing systems are often inefficient and lack proper testing, causing significant delays in firefighting efforts. These delays become even more critical in situations involving high-rise buildings or bushfires, where reaching the affected areas is particularly challenging. The leading causes of
X-rays are a common component of diagnostic testing and industrial monitoring, used for everything from monitoring your teeth to scanning your suitcase at the airport. But the high-energy rays also produce ionizing radiation, which can be dangerous after prolonged or excessive exposures. Now, researchers publishing in ACS Central Science have taken a step toward safer x-rays by creating a highly sensitive and foldable detector that produces good quality images with smaller dosages of the rays.
Spaceflight outside of the Earth’s protective magnetic field is dangerous from a cosmic radiation perspective. Inside Earth’s magnetic field, where the manned International Space Station (ISS) orbits, the radiation encountered is minimal and almost all is deflected by our planet’s magnetic fields. However, outside that protective shield, the Sun’s solar wind (high energy radiation, solar energetic particles or SEPs) consisting of protons, electrons, alpha particles, and plasmas continuously bombards the spacecraft for the months or years of spaceflight.
Radiation has garnered the most attention in the research that has been conducted on polyethylene sheets. According to the calculations, there were 145892.35 kGy in total radiation doses administered. An ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer was used to examine the impact that electron beam irradiation had on the optical constants. Two of the most crucial variables taken into account when calculating the optical constants and the absorption coefficient are the reflectance and transmittance of polyurethane sheets. Reduced light transmission through the sheet achieves these characteristics, which are related to the transmittance and reflectance of the Fresnel interface. Cross linking makes it more challenging for the polyurethane molecular chains to become fixed. Both the refractive index and the dispersion properties have been altered as a direct result of this. Despite the fact that the doses of electron irradiation were getting lower, it eventually rose to 105 kGy. Contrary to the
This ARP provides design and performance recommendations for emergency exits in the passenger cabin. This ARP does not apply to Crew Emergency Exits.
The global use of lithium-ion batteries has doubled in just the past four years, generating alarming amounts of battery waste containing many hazardous substances. The need for effective recycling methods for spent lithium-ion batteries is becoming increasingly critical. In the journal ChemElectroChem, scientists from various Polish research institutions, including Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology (PBS), the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the PAS in Warsaw, and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, presented a promising solution to this issue.
This specification covers a shampoo type carpet cleaner in the form of a liquid.
In the fall of 2023, NASA hot fire tested an aluminum-based, 3D-printed rocket engine nozzle. What made the event remarkable is that aluminum isn’t typically used for additive manufacturing because the process causes it to crack, and it isn’t used in rocket engines due to its low melting point. Yet the test was a success.
Letter from the Focus Issue Editors
The environment and test waveforms defined in this SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) account for the best lightning data and analysis currently available. The quantified environment and levels herein represent the minimum currently required by certifying authorities, which is consistent with the approach applied in related lightning documents. Lightning, like other weather phenomenon, is probabilistic in nature. Levels and waveforms vary considerably from one flash to the next. Within this document, standardized voltage and current waveforms have been derived to represent the lightning environment external to an aircraft. These standardized waveforms are used to assess the effects of lightning on aircraft. The standardized external current waveforms have, in turn, been used to derive standardized transient voltage and current test waveforms that can be expected to appear on cable bundles and at equipment interfaces within an aircraft. When deriving these latter internal induced
This document provides guidance for oxygen cylinder installation on commerical aircraft based on airworthiness requirements, and methods practiced within aerospace industry. It covers considerations for oxygen systems from beginning of project phase up to production, maintenance, and servicing. The document is related to requirements of DOT-approved oxygen cylinders, as well to those designed and manufactured to standards of ISO 11119. However, its basic rules may also be applicable to new development pertaining to use of such equipment in an oxygen environment. For information regarding oxygen cylinders itself, also refer to AIR825/12.
This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) recommends design features for facilitating relocation of portable slide/rafts for deployment at an alternate exit under ditching conditions.
Researchers at Tufts School of Engineering have developed a method to detect bacteria, toxins, and dangerous chemicals in the environment with a biopolymer sensor that can be printed like ink on a wide range of materials — including wearables.
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and colleagues have developed standards and calibrations for optical microscopes that allow quantum dots to be aligned with the center of a photonic component to within an error of 10 to 20 nanometers (about one-thousandth the thickness of a sheet of paper). Such alignment is critical for chip-scale devices that employ the radiation emitted by quantum dots to store and transmit quantum information.
Advances in optical sensors and imaging technologies are ever more rapidly assimilated into how humans interact, understand themselves, and explore the world around them. The scope of inquiry for optical devices is broad and they enable technologies within, such as implanted transdermal bioMEMS devices, and beyond, or as space-flight surveyors deployed as near and deep space instruments. Central to the functionality of modern optical devices, ultra-narrow bandpass (UNBP) thin-film optical filters enable discrimination of sub-nanometer bands inside broad spectra. These filters, pioneered as NIR DWDM filters for the telecommunications industry, are now essential in extracting meaningful signal from imaging and sensing devices operating anywhere between the deep ultraviolet and the mid infra-red bands.
Because they can go where humans can’t, robots are especially suited for safely working with hazardous nuclear waste. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have designed and tested a remote-controlled, dual-arm telerobotics system with human-like capabilities that has the potential to revolutionize hazardous waste clean-up and holds potential for broader applications.
Sensor packaging, particularly for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), is a critical aspect of modern electronics. MEMS developers have demonstrated a variety of innovative microsensors for almost every possible sensing modality including temperature, pressure, inertial forces, chemical species, magnetic fields, radiation, etc. While MEMS sensors are revolutionizing various industries with their precision and miniaturization, they can present unique product development challenges and risks during design, development, and manufacturing.
Notice of Withdrawal
This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) describes the aspects of hydraulic system design and installation to minimize the effects of lightning. Techniques for effective electrical bonding, hydraulic system lightning protection, and lightning protection verification techniques are discussed.
A global team of researchers and industry collaborators led by RMIT University has invented recyclable ’water batteries’ that won’t catch fire or explode.
In any human space flight program, safety of the crew is of utmost priority. In case of exigency in atmospheric flight, the crew is safely and quickly rescued from the launch vehicle using Crew Escape System (CES). CES is a critical part of the Human Space Flight which carries the crew module away from the ascending launch vehicle by firing its rocket motors (Pitch Motor (PM), Low altitude Escape Motor (LEM) and High altitude Escape Motor (HEM)). The structural loads experienced by the CES during the mission abort are severe as the propulsive, aerodynamic and inertial forces on the vehicle are significantly high. Since the mission abort can occur at anytime during the ascent phase of the launch vehicle, trajectory profiles are generated for abort at every one second interval of ascent flight period considering several combinations of dispersions on various propulsive parameters of abort motors and aero parameters. Depending on the time of abort, the ignition delay of PM, LEM and HEM
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