U-2R AIR CONDITIONING MEETING, 6 AUGUST 1968, LAC-BURBANK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00285R000300080046-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 13, 2003
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: September 18, 1968
• Content Type: MFR

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Copy~of~
18 September 1968
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: U-2R Air Conditioning Meeting, 6 August 1968,
LAC-Burbank
1. Subject meeting was held at 0800 hours on 6 Aug.1968.
Attachment #1 is a list of primary attendees.
2. LAC representatives presented 25X1
the status of the U-2R Air Conditioning sys em, u ilizing
schematics, charts and gra. hs included as Attachment #2.
As an added agenda. item, presented information
regarding LOX system dif icu ntered in the U-2R. 25X1
The following paragraphs sLimmarize the information presented
and the status of the a.ir conditioning system.
3. Air Conditianing System Modifications. The latest
modification consists of the following changes from the
original system design:
A. An additional suit cooling line and control
valve wa.s added bringing cold air directly from the
turbine to the pressure suit vent air line. This
line wa.s added to pravide colder air for pilot
comfort a.nd to provide a higher pressure head to
the suit. The latter occurs because the direct
cooling line does not experience the water separator
pressure drop.. Because the cooling line bypasses
the water separator, the suit cooling control will
have to be closed to prevent icing in the line when
operating below 2;5,000 feet in damp, cold climates.
The temperature of the air delivered by the suit
? cooling line cannot be controlled by the pilot, and
can range from 0?F to - 70?F. This cold air is
mixed with 40?F to 100?F air from the cockpit vent
air line .for delivery of air to the suit in a
temperature range of - 30?F to + 30?F. The suit
cooling control only alters the flow quantity of
cold air to the pilot's suit. In general, this
mod ifica.tion allows the pilot to have suit ventila-
tion air colder than cackpit air, but 'he can never
have suit vent a.ir warmer than cockpit vent a.ir.
B. A check valve was added to the suit ventilation
line between the cackpit vent air line and the suit
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cooling line> This is required to prevent cold air
from the suit cooling line, which has a 3 in. H2O
greater pressure head, from flowing out into the
cockpit rather than through the suit. Check valves
with various pressure drops (i.e., spring loaded
valves), have been used in the modifications, as
seen on the a.tta.ched charts. However, information
supplied since the 6 August 1968 meeting indicates
that the final version is a simple flow check valve
that is not spring 1oa.ded a.nd has only a 1 in. H2O
pressure drop.
C. The suit vent boast valve orifice was reduced
in diameter to increase the pressure drop across
the valve in the maximum boost (i.e., closed)
position. The available pressure drop across this
valve, and hence the pressure head available to the
suit vent line when set a maximum boost, is now
38 in. H2O (1.37 psi above cockpit pressure). This
will allow the pilot to inflate his suit to almost
1 psig for comfort or use of the urine elimination
system a.nd continue to have some vent air flow.
In the event of cabin pressure loss without loss of
engine bleed pressure (i.e., seal failure, etc.),
by selecting maximum boost the pilot will have
vent air supplied with sufficient pressure (approxi-
mately 4 psia.) to overcome the inflated suit pressure
and thus provide body cooling under such conditions.
The only limita.tian or precaution that must be
observed is that if maximum boost is selected for any
reason under normal pressurization conditions at
maximum design altitude the Q-Bay 25X1.
altimeter must be monitore since -Bay pressure
ma.y start to decay. Available mass airflow through
the a.ir conditioning system is only sufficient to
meet minimal pressurization and normal suit vent
.requirements at maximum design altitude, hence raising
the back pressure under such conditions will reduce
the volume output a.nd result in reduction of Q-Bay
pressure. Schematics of the system plumbing and
airflow a.nd pressure drop data, a.re presented in
Attachment #2. '
4. Air Conditioning System Contamination. The under-
si ned rovided LAC representatives and 25X1
with copies of a chemical la ora. ory repor~ produced
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by the David Clark Co. on the analysis of a contaminated vent
flapper valve from an 5-1010 PPA. LAC was asked to investigate
the matter of contamination with regards to the possible
effects on pressure suit structure and function.
5. Su lemental Pilot Ventilation Durin Ground 0 erations.
raised the question of supplemental methods
n i ation during ground operations in the aircraft
in hot climates. At low engine power settings during ground
checks and taxiing, the mass a.ir flow to the suit is low,
hence s iti visions may be required.
and stated that their respective
groups wou continue -o roves iga.te this matter.
6. Air Conditioning S stem Status - Summar .
A. According to information presented, the U-2R
Air Conditioning System now appears to be adequate
in terms of providing sufficient body cooling under
all normal flight conditions and in the event of
cabin pressure loss due to seal failure or similar
malfunction.
B. Supplemental cooling may be required during
ground operations prior to launch, due to ?t he low
output of the air conditioning system at low power
settings. This is considered to be an open item
under investigation by both LAC a.nd Detachment G.
C. Air conditioning contamination is considered to
be an open item. Investigations regarding effects
are to be conducted by both LAC and David Clark Co.
D. Appropriate precautionary notes have been
included in special air conditioning operating
instructions prav:ided ?all pilots regarding the use
of maximum suit vent boost and its adverse effects
on Q-Bay pressure. Presumably such information
will also be included in the U-2R-1 manual.
__.._ 7. Added Agenda. Item.- LOX System Difficulties.
Problems with the U-2R LOX system have included abnormally
high pressures?with subsequent overboard venting of LOX and
low system pressures after various periods of flight. LAC
was unable to supply specific answers to the causes for such
difficulties. LOX converters were analyzed and found to be
functioning normally. Servicing procedures (LOX filling,
venting and purging) techniques were suspected, but moisture
tests gave negative results. Insufficient heat exchange
tubing was not felt to be the cause according to LAC. In
summary, the did not know what caused the problems. They
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had, however, added an additional 8 feet of heat exchanger
line to each converter and had established changes in
servicing and purging procedures which they hoped would salve
the problems. No recurrences had occurred at the time of
this meeting. This item is still considered to be an open
item with more investigati~can required by LAC. '
25X1
Attachments -
As stated
25X1 ASD/R&D/OSA~
Distribut-ion:
Cy 1 - D/R&D/OSA w/atts
2 - D/SA w/atts
3 - D/M/OSA w/a.tts
4 - D/M/OSA w/a.tts
5 - D/O/OSA w/atts
6 - SAS/O/OSA w/atts
7 - IDEA/0/OSA w/atts
$ - ASD/R&D/OSA w/a.tts
9 - PSD/R&D/OSA w/a.tts
10 - ASD/R&D Chrono w/o atts
11 - RB/OSA w/o a.tts
DR~DO
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