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Projects/Completed
Non-ODC
Oxygen Line Cleaning
Project Number: J-99-CL-015
The
purpose of the Non-ODC Oxygen Line Cleaning JG-PP
project was to validate one or more technologies using non-ODC to clean
oxygen lines on DoD and NASA aerospace vehicles and at NASA research centers
for building maintenance cost avoidance. Presently, aircraft oxygen lines
are cleaned before being installed in the aircraft or when contamination
in the lines causes a problem for the crewmember. When the contamination
problem is discovered, the crewmember must switch to the use of auxiliary
oxygen supplies. The aircraft is then flown to an air base where the oxygen
plumbing is dismantled, removed from the aircraft, cleaned using chlorofluorocarbons
(specifically CFC-113) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (specifically HCFC-141b),
and then reinstalled back into the idle aircraft. This procedure results
in emissions of the ODC during cleaning and reduced mission readiness
while the aircraft sits idle.
Technologies that were demonstrated
and qualified under the project include a portable unit for onboard cleaning
of oxygen systems and two technologies for off-aircraft cleaning. NAVAIR-Patuxent
River, Northrop-Grumman, and Versar Inc. have independently developed
viable and complementary alternative cleaning processes that do not use
ODC cleaners.
- NAVAIR - Patuxent River,
Oxygen Line Cleaning System (off-aircraft cleaning system)
- Oxygen line cleaning
system is a bench-top system
- Uses the semi-aqueous
NOC
- Ideal for tight spaces
- Northrop-Grumman, Oxygen
Line Cleaning System (off-aircraft cleaning system)
- Oxygen line cleaning
system is a tube system
- Uses HFE 7100/Krytox
solution
- Versar Inc., Oxygen Line
Cleaning System (onboard cleaning system)
- Oxygen line cleaning
system is portable
- Uses HFE 7100 solution
blended with a surfactant from Krytox.
Potential benefits of implementing
replacements include:
- Eliminate DoD and NASA consumption
and emission of tens of thousands of gallons of CFCs annually
- Significant savings in
manpower and avoided aircraft downtime
- An estimated cost avoidance
of up to $1 million per aircraft
- NASA plans to utilize this
system for cleaning oxygen lines at several of their research centers
to provide facilities maintenance cost avoidance.
As a result of successful completion
of this project, it is now possible to remove dependence on chlorofluorocarbons
and other ozone-depleters to clean oxygen lines and components. Once these
technologies are implemented, significant savings will be realized in
manpower, avoided aircraft downtime and chemical purchase/disposal volumes.
In addition, the technologies evaluated under this project may be applicable
to the cleaning of other types of oxygen systems onboard ships and submarines.
This successfully completed
JG-PP
project was partnered with an ESTCP-sponsored
project, "On-Board Oxygen Line Cleaning System for use with DoD Weapons
Systems." The JG-PP
Methodology and resources were applied to the ongoing ESTCP
project beginning in 1999 to enhance the implementation and transfer of
non-ODC technology.
For more information on this
project visit the ESTCP
Website.
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