combustion: NOT directly related to Partial Pressure
A QUESTION posed, a few slots earlier:
"... at FL250 ... there would not have been enough oxygen to sustain combustion ..."
This mis-perception, and the idea of "turning OFF the Packs to suffocate any fire", have been recurring pilot-assertions. An erroneous assertion.
Combustion could be slowed by decreasing the CONCENTRATION of oxygen: eg, for inerting an empty tank (or dry-bay) one could decrease the O2-concentration from 20% to 10% (using increased concentration of N2).
Lesson from various inflight fires teach us:
-- Hot-SMOKE accumulated in the fuselage-crown [stacking downward toward the cabin floor] will become the most flammable substance onboard. SMOKE BURNS!!!
-- Generally, for smoke removal, our normal Outflow Valve should be up HIGH, not beneath the cabin floor [or instead design-in a smoke-chute with the intake in the ceiling-crown area].
Last edited by IGh; 5th Apr 2011 at 14:24.