Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 21:05:03 GMT Server: Apache/1.2.1 Last-Modified: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 00:30:02 GMT ETag: "1c798-114e-3329ed8a" Content-Length: 4430 Accept-Ranges: bytes Connection: close Content-Type: text/html Safety Foam

Foamex Technical and Advanced Polymer Products
Safety Foam



Foamex polyurethane Safety Foam has a 30 year record, built on combat experience, of suppressing explosions in military aircraft and land vehicles. This 9 MB Quicktime digital video shows experiments documenting its explosion suppression capabilities.

Safety Foam is used in the presidential limousine and in racing cars, including NASCAR, to prevent fuel tank explosions. It is used in stunt aircraft and to help protect against possible explosion from lightning strikes on weather reconnaissance planes.

According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, February 17, 1997: "The National Transportation Safety Board has concluded the [TWA Flight 800] 747's centerline fuel tank exploded, destroying the aircraft and killing the 230 persons on board." The potential for use of Safety Foam in commercial aircraft to provide safety for airline passengers and crew is being considered as the TWA Flight 800 investigation enters its eighth month.


Safety Foam

Safety Foam adds little weight, reduces usable fuel by less than 4%, and is easy to install. As a passive, maintenance-free system, it is always activated to increase the survivability of the aircraft or vehicle (during missions or while parked), allowing the pilot or operator to concentrate on his primary assignment.

The material is a fully reticulated flexible polyurethane foam composed of a skeletal matrix of tiny lightweight interconnecting strands which act as a three dimensional fire screen. It is a passive, self healing, explosion suppression system capable of withstanding multiple hits. The system is always on guard -- no gauges to check, no leaks, no mechanical malfunctions. Foamex polyurethane Safety Foam is a combat proven system, refined from experience, that will help to prevent fuel explosions caused by:

Safety Foam has also been used for discrete armored vehicles, military wheeled and tracked vehicles, as well as in service station island sumps and fuel storage tanks. It has provided gasoline flashback protection in gasoline can "Jerry Can" filler spouts. It is used in agricultural dusting air craft to reduce fuel surge. In boats, Safety Foam is used for baffling in fuel tanks to reduce fuel surge and slosh, thereby significantly improving performance, as well as providing explosion protection.

Stringent in-flight evaluations in Arctic conditions by the Air Force using Conductive Safety Foam have shown not a single instance of aircraft static ignition since the inception of critical testing in 1986.


Physical properties and characteristics of Safety Foam are available on this Web site. Safety Foam meets Military Specifications Mil-B-83054B Baffle and Inerting Material, Aircraft Fuel Tank (7 March 1984) and Mil-F-87260 Foam Material, Explosion Suppression, Inherently Conductive for Aircraft Fuel Tank and Dry Bay Areas (7 February 1992). Complete guidelines for installation and other technical data reported by the Society of Automotive Engineers is available from SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Telephone (412) 776-4970.

For additional information contact Foamex at techline@eddy.foamex.com or by telephone 1-800-767-4997.


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