Aircraft Fire Protection Intumescent Shield Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intumescent materials in aircraft fire protection do not reliably foam at ambient temperatures below 250°C, making it impossible to effectively seal off components or rooms from each other during a fire.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring an intumescent material activated by an electrical heating device, which can foam and provide controlled fire protection at temperatures between 100°C to 150°C, utilizing temperature sensors and a control device to manage the foaming process, ensuring reliable activation even if the electronic control system fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional intumescent materials are used without electrical heating, then the material composition remains simple, but the intumescent reaction only sets in from a high initial temperature of about 250°C, preventing reliable fire protection at lower temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
An electrical heating device is introduced as an intermediary to transfer thermal energy to the intumescent material. This mediator enables the material to reach its activation temperature (250°C) from lower ambient temperatures (100-150°C), resolving the contradiction by adding a controlled energy transfer mechanism rather than changing the material's inherent thermal properties
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical heating device performs preliminary heating of the intumescent material before the fire reaches high temperatures. By pre-heating the material to its activation threshold, the system enables reliable intumescent reaction at lower overall temperatures, transforming the material's state in advance of the actual fire protection need
2Speed
If the initial temperature of intumescent material is set low to enable early foaming, then fire protection responds faster, but unwanted intumescent reactions may occur during normal aircraft operating temperature range
Solution Approach 1:
A control device with temperature sensing provides feedback control of the electrical heating device. The system monitors the actual temperature of the intumescent material and adjusts heating accordingly, ensuring the material only activates when the aircraft experiences actual fire conditions (above 100-150°C) rather than during normal operation, thus preventing unwanted reactions while maintaining fast response
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the thermal input to the intumescent material through controlled electrical heating. Rather than relying on passive thermal activation, the system can modulate the heating rate and intensity based on detected temperature conditions, enabling fast foaming response only when necessary and preventing premature activation during normal aircraft operation
3Ease of operation
If electrical heating device is added to activate intumescent material at lower temperatures, then controlled fire protection is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical heating device is designed to serve multiple functions: it activates the intumescent material, provides backup heating if the control system fails, and can operate independently or in conjunction with the control device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while maintaining controlled activation capability
4Quantity of substance
If intumescent material is used without expandable graphite or Vermiculite, then the material composition is simpler, but the material cannot achieve sufficient volume increase for reliable sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal activation parameters of the intumescent material through electrical heating, enabling the material to reach its phase transition and volume expansion point from lower temperatures. This parameter change approach allows the material to achieve sufficient volume increase for sealing without adding expandable fillers, as the controlled heating directly triggers the foam expansion mechanism
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables effective and controllable fire protection at lower temperatures, ensuring reliable sealing of pipelines and surfaces within aircraft, even if the electronic control system fails, by automatically triggering the intumescent material to foam at 250°C.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical heating device (18, 19) which can be switched on in the event of a fire for heating the intumescent material
Implementation Method 2
the at least one protective shield (12, 13) is formed with an intumescent material which can be activated, in particular foamed, by means of the electrical heating device (18, 19) in the event of a fire
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for providing active fire protection in aircraft by means of at least one protective shield (12, 13). According to the invention, the at least one protective shield (12, 13) is formed with an intumescent material, which in the event of a fire can be activated, in particular made to expand, in a controlled manner well below the initial temperature otherwise usual for intumescent materials of the order of 250°C by means of an electrical heating device (18, 19). The current temperature in the hold (3) (preferably at various temperature measuring points) of the aircraft is measured by means of at least one temperature sensor (21) and transmitted to a controlling and regulating device (22). In the event of a fire, the heating devices (18, 19) are activated and the intumescent reactions of the protective shields (12, 13) for providing fire protection are initiated within a temperature interval between 90°C and 150°C. The heating devices (18, 19) are preferably arranged in the region of the protective shields (12, 13) or integrated in them and formed with at least one heating wire (17) and/or with a surface heating element (20). The projective shields (12, 13) may be formed both as a plate (14) or as a grid (15), which are respectively produced using a suitable intumescent material. Alternatively, a protective shield may be formed for a structural part with an intumescent coating and an electrical heating device embedded therein. The arrangement is suitable inter alia for providing active fire protection in the area of a hold (3) of an aircraft.