SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS

File: 970313_jun96_decls1_0024.txt
Page: 0024
Total Pages: 35

Subject: SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS                           

Unit: VII CORPS   

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box  ID: BX000249

Folder Title: ENGR PLAN INTEL                                                                                 

Document Number:          9

Folder Seq  #:         84









                                                 MICLASSIFXED                     AST-266OZ-148-90
                                                                                   9 January 1991



            however, would be similar to industrial hot-acid mist or vapor burns. To prevent
            injury from sulfurous acid, the use of protective gas masks or airpacks, along
            with protective clothing, is required for all operations.

            10. Material Problems Associated With Smoke (U)

                  a. (U) In the KTO, no mechanical problems to aircraft propulsion systems
            are anticipated from airborne particulates in oil-well fire smoke.               Minute
            abrasive particulates swept up by updrafts will cause erosion and wear mechani-
                                                                                            I
            ical components of aircraft turbines when their concentrations approach76@.ei@@6d-
            10-7 g/cm3. It is, however, unlikely that these Itigh concentrations will occur
            in oil-f ire plumes. The fine carbon particulates 'in the smoke will pass through
            the turbine and cause no problem.        (Sandstorms In the KTO represent a more
            serious particulate hazard to helicopters and tactical aircraft.)

                b.   (U)   Sulfurous acid is highly corrosive and will readily attack nylon
            (parachutes and ballistic nylon armor) and semiconductor materials) it will pit
            or corrode exposed metal surfaces. With prolonged exposure, sensitive electronic
            and precision optical or electrooptical equipment using polished metal surfaces
            (metal mirrors) can be damaged. Avionics, optics, radar, radios, and electrical
            switches can be damaged.       Sulfurous acid also creates a haze or etching on
            transparencies (windows) of aircraft, on smart weapon sensors, and on exposed
ces. This haze or etching can degrade
            the sensitivity, resolution, range, and accuracy of such systems.

            11. Expected Might-Vision Problems (U)

            (U)    The light from an oil-well fire is very intense: in such light one
            reportedly can read a newspaper at night a mile away. In such an environment,
            problems associated with blooming in night-vision devices are possible. Passive
            image intensifiers (0.4 to 0.9 pm) are designed to operate in very low light and
            would be affected by bright light.        Operators would have to reduce optical
            apertures with shutters and diaphragms to limit the light entering the night-
            vision device to prevent blooming and damage to the device.           Active near-IR
            image intensifiers (0.8 to 1.2 pm) would also be similarly affected. -Themal:
            imaging systems, called FLIR (forward-looking Infrared), which operat'elat 3 to
            5 tLm or 8 to 14 pm, may also experience blooming from hot spots and fireballs.
            At the other extreme, the very dense smoke near these massive fires, however,
            could reduce the effectiveness of both visual- and IR-type night-vision systems
            due to high concentrations of carbon particulates in the smoke or by the
            emissivity of the cloud.






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Document 35 f:/Week-24/BX000249/ENGR PLAN INTEL/serious oilfire gas and smoke dangers:0128971851472
Control Fields 17
File Room = jun96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-24
Box ID = BX000249
Unit = VII CORPS
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = ENGR PLAN INTEL
Folder Seq # = 84
Subject = SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS
Document Seq # = 9
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 13-FEB-1997