IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

AIRCRAFT FUEL LEAKS REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD. AT PRESENT, IF A LEAK IS SUSPECTED IN AN EQUIPMENT-FILLED AIRCRAFT BAY, IT IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE EQUIPMENT BEFORE BEING ABLE TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT MAY BE A LEAK THAT IS SMALL ENOUGH NOT TO BE OF CONCERN. THIS COULD RESULT IN WASTED MANPOWER AND EXCESSIVE AIRCRAFT DOWN TIME. THE PROPOSED INSTRUMENT IS DESIGNED TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT FOR A FUEL LEAK CHARACTERIZATION DEVICE THAT CAN DETERMINE THE LOCATION AND SIZE OF A LEAK WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE EQUIPMENT FROM A BAY. THIS DEVICE WORKS ON THE PRINCIPLE OF MEASURING THE VISIBLE FLUORESCENT EMISSION INTENSITY FROM A FUEL LEAK SPOT WHICH HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED BY ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT. THE UV LIGHT IS CARRIED INTO, AND THE FLUORESCENCE CARRIED OUT OF, THE BAY BY A FIBER OPTIC PROBE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A FIBERSCOPE FOR VISUALLY LOCATING THE LEAK. THE PHASE I OBJECTIVE IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE DEVICE CONCEPT USING A LABORATORY BREADBOARD. A PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT WOULD BE DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED, AND TESTED IN PHASE II.