Black Hawk fuel tank inerting system undergoes testing
The development of a new fuel tank inerting system for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is underway, with Phyre Technologies successfully completing the prototype testing and demonstration phase of the Tempered Platform Demonstration (CTPD).
Phyre Technologies has working under contract with Sikorsky Aircraft since 2012 to build and demonstrate a Green On-Board Inert Gas Generating System (GOBIGGS) for the Black Hawk.
Phyre's GOBIGGS is an environmentally friendly, catalyst based fuel tank inerting system designed to increase survivability of the UH-60 by significantly reducing fuel tank vulnerability to explosion. The system is being developed to be smaller, lighter and with lower operational costs than existing inerting technologies.
Under this testing and demonstration phase of the project, Phyre Technologies has demonstrated the capability of the GOBIGGS unit to rapidly inert fuel tank ullage below flammable levels.
The testing was completed in conjunction with Sikorsky Aircraft, US Army Aviation Development Directorate - Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (ADD-AATD) and Army Research Laboratory (ARL).
Santosh Limaye, chairman, Phyre Technologies, said: ‘We are very proud of Phyre's GOBIGGS team and this accomplishment. This TRL 6 demonstration unit is the culmination of years of development and testing. As a small company, we are honoured to be working closely with Sikorsky, ADD-AATD and ARL team members to design and build a system to improve the safety of the warfighter.’
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