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Replacement of HCFC-225 Solvent for Cleaning NASA Propulsion Oxygen SystemsSince the 1990's, when the Class I Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) chlorofluorocarbon‐113 (CFC‐113) was banned, NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Stennis Space Center (SSC) have relied upon hydrochlorofluorocarbon‐225 (HCFC‐225) to safely clean and verify the cleanliness of large scale propulsion oxygen systems. Effective January 1, 2015, the production, import, export, and new use of HCFC‐225, a Class II ODS, was prohibited by the Clean Air Act. In 2012 through 2014, leveraging resources from both the NASA Rocket Propulsion Test Program and the Defense Logistics Agency ‐ Aviation Hazardous Minimization and Green Products Branch, test labs at MSFC, SSC, and Johnson Space Center's White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) collaborated to seek out, test, and qualify a replacement for HCFC‐225 that is both an effective cleaner and safe for use with oxygen systems. Candidate solvents were selected and a test plan was developed following the guidelines of ASTM G127, Standard Guide for the Selection of Cleaning Agents for Oxygen Systems. Solvents were evaluated for materials compatibility, oxygen compatibility, cleaning effectiveness, and suitability for use in cleanliness verification and field cleaning operations. Two solvents were determined to be acceptable for cleaning oxygen systems and one was chosen for implementation at NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities. The test program and results are summarized. This project also demonstrated the benefits of cross‐agency collaboration in a time of limited resources.
Document ID
20150016310
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mitchell, Mark A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Lowrey, Nikki M.
(Jacobs Technology, Inc. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2015
Publication Date
June 1, 2015
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Ground Support Systems And Facilities (Space)
Report/Patent Number
M15-4329
Meeting Information
Meeting: JANNAF Propulsion Meeting
Location: Nashville, TN
Country: United States
Start Date: June 1, 2015
End Date: June 5, 2015
Sponsors: Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, NASA Headquarters, Department of the Navy
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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