Fire Suppression Systems on Abrams Tanks....Did EPA Remove Halon Systems?

Military ^ | Military

[Arkinsaw]

This weekend two soldiers died from a fire in an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank at Fort Hood, Texas. I recalled that the Abrams had this hi-tech fire suppression system that was supposed to flood the tank with Halon gas and snuff out any fire immediately. I wondered why it failed to work.

This link is to a PDF document regarding the removal of the Halon Fire Suppression systems for US military vehicles for what looks like environmental reasons.

Do any Freepers know if this removal was mandated by the EPA or by treaty? I am curious to know what spurred the removal of these systems and if replacement systems work. A friend of mine who worked as a loader in an M1 feels that the Halon system would have snuffed out a fire such as this immediately.

Link to PDF Document on Halon System Removal

[Arkinsaw]

Thanks for any comments.

[Centurion2000]

Jesus wept ...... drop these dead soldiers' deaths at the hand of the EPA.

[RightWhale]

Halon removes all the oxygen from the air, and the fire dies immediately. However, any personnel in the same space must also leave immediately or they will suffocate due to lack of oxygen. Unless the crew has another source of breathing supplies, they will need to exit the vehicle until it is aired out.

[KC Burke]

you are right about the oxygen depleting aspects, however, the flash-over time in a small vehicle confined space is so short that this is not the contoling factor in this test date. The Ozone depletion issue appears to be the factor initiating the change as shown by the report, IMHO

[SBeck]

Halon removes all the oxygen from the air, and the fire dies immediately. However, any personnel in the same space must also leave immediately or they will suffocate due to lack of oxygen. Unless the crew has another source of breathing supplies, they will need to exit the vehicle until it is aired out.

This is a myth that was disproven after the Doha incident, which followed Desert Storm. An unprotected individual can stand in the middle of a Halon deployment for 20 minutes without any ill effects. The causal event of the Doha incident, which occured when a fully uploaded ammo carrier exploded in a cantonement area killing 3 and destroying 72 armored and thin skin vehicles, was a combination of this urban legend and the disengagement of the system by a crew that didn't know better.

[RightWhale]

It's the ozone, is it? What would the EPA do if all the Abrams tanks caught fire at once? Run down to Antarctica and take emergency ozone readings? Abrams tanks are lucky they are still allowed to fire a shell during combat; EPA would probably spike their gun, too, if they could.

[Greeblie]

The EPA in their infinite stupidity is removing Halon where ever it's found. We had to remove it from our computer room. Halon messes with the OZONE layer, don't you know? That's much more important that some dead bodies...

I'm sure this is Clintons fault too...

[RightWhale]

I don't know if it is a myth. That's what we were told. When the Halon unit fires, we were to leave the building, which we would probably have done anyway due to the fire. We would re-enter the building after it had been aired out. Halon is not poisonous, but it displaces oxygen. It puts out the fire, and can put you out, too.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[stupid1]

If the GOV'T had this stuff, called FLAME OUT, the fire wouldn't have been a problem. This product is obviously the best fire extinguishing material available. But the Co. lacks the funds to payoff the right people to get the military contract. Go check it out.
http://www.seci-us.com/flameout.htm

[Desdemona]

When I worked in the Archives and Rare Books Division of a MAJOR med school (millions and millions of dollars worth of irreplacable books and artifacts), we had a Halon system which was slated to be removed, like about now. I don't remember exactly why, but it was FDA or OSHA. Someone else mentioned Halon bonds with oxygen - then it sinks (like CFCs those molecules are heavy). The idea, as I understood it, was to give the people time to get out. After bonding with the oxygen it becomes inert, I think. Something like that. The valence shell fills, I know that much. Anyway, there would be enough time to get out and then the fire supressed due to lack of oxygen. RIght?

Dumb Dumb Dumb. Removing those systems is a total overreation. It's a remnant of the early 90's ozone hysteria.

[from occupied ga]

Halon does not bond with O₂, it simply displaces the air with a non combustable gas. Think about it - if it combines with O₂, then by definition it burns - not what you want in a fire supression system.

[Desdemona]

It's been years since I was in that palce, so I have no idea what the deal is. Besides, it was explained by an archivist who had as little knowledge of physics and chemistry as possible.

[Desdemona]

Now, wait a second...gas won't burn if it's inert. Oxygen burns, but I don't think it does if it's part of a molecule. And if the bond is strong enough, it won't break off...Man, it's been a long time since I thought about chemistry. I could be totally screwing this up.

[from occupied ga]

I could be totally screwing this up

Yes, you are. Oxygen does not burn. It supports combustion. The definition of burning is for the fuel to combine with oxygen and give off energy (heat). For combustion to occur you need three things: 1. fuel 2. oxygen and 3. temperature high enough to overcome activation energy. Take away any of these three and the fire goes out. Halon works by displacing air (oxygen source) no oxygen, no fire.

[VOA]

This weekend two soldiers died from a fire in an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
at Fort Hood, Texas.

One good thing...this incident got mentioned on Paul Harvey's News and Comments
today (Tues 7-30-02)

[wesleyb250]

I have been inside the tank when the Halon system malfunctioned and went off right in my face during gunnery. Obviously it does not kill you immediately, however I passed out and my crew members had to remove me from the tank. There is no way a person can survive for 20 minutes with no oxygen.