Decontamination of Aircraft Electronic Equipment

There is a need for effective, environmentally compatible methods of removing chemical and biological threat agents from equipment deployed in the field, and that can not be decontaminated with aqueous base decontamination agents. Historically, such equipment has been decontaminated by spraying and flushing with CFC-113, which is an Ozone Depleting Compound (ODC). The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 specifies its elimination from all DoD activities. Alternate methods of nondestructively decontaminating water sensitive military equipment, such as electronic and communications systems components aboard military aircraft, are required. ESI's approach to this problem is to upgrade the performance characteristics of ODC/VOC/HAP free hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), including hydrofluoroethers (HFEs), by the addition of functional surface active agents that do not alter the inherent safety characteristics and environmental properties of these fluorinated solvents. ESI's specific approach is to incorporate soluble, nonvolatile surface active materials into these liquids to create formulations which enhance the removal of chemical or biological threat agents from contaminated parts under conditions of liquid shear.