Ceramic Enclosure for Flight Data Recorder Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crash-protected memory armor for flight data recorders, which use metal compositions, face limitations in fire protection due to high heat conductivity and thermal expansion mismatches between metal armor and insulation materials, leading to gaps that compromise insulation effectiveness during fires.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic-based enclosure system where the housing and cover, formed from materials like boron carbide, are designed to match thermal expansion coefficients and provide a sealed, fire-resistant cavity for heat-sensitive components, offering reduced weight and improved thermal insulation compared to metal enclosures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal composition armor is used for crash protection, then mechanical strength and crash protection are improved, but heat conductivity increases and fire protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining ceramic matrix composite (CMC) armor with insulation materials to create a multi-layer protective structure. The CMC provides mechanical strength and crash protection while the insulation layer provides thermal protection, resolving the contradiction between needing strong metal armor and protecting against fire heat.
2Strength
If metal armor enclosure is used, then crash protection is improved, but thermal expansion mismatch with insulation material causes gaps during fire events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using ceramic matrix composite material for both the armor enclosure and the insulation material, ensuring they have compatible thermal expansion coefficients. This prevents gaps from forming during fire events while maintaining crash protection capabilities.
3Strength
If metal composition is used for armor, then mechanical protection is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ceramic matrix composite materials that provide high mechanical strength and protection against penetration and crush events while being lighter than traditional metal armors, thus reducing the overall weight of the protective enclosure.
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 ceramic enclosure system effectively protects components from high temperatures, mechanical shock, and moisture while maintaining a lightweight design, ensuring reliable operation during crashes and fires by minimizing thermal conductivity and expansion-related gaps.
Implementation Method 1
The ceramic enclosure system effectively protects components from high temperatures, mechanical shock, and moisture while maintaining a lightweight design, ensuring reliable operation during crashes and fires by minimizing thermal conductivity and expansion-related gaps.
Implementation Method 2
metals have a thermal coefficient of expansion that is significantly different than that of insulating materials typically found in solid state CPMs. Having significantly different thermal coefficient of expansion between a metal armor enclosure and the insulation material could cause a gap between the enclosure and the insulation material during a fire event.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for protecting a heat sensitive component from high temperature, mechanical shock and moisture are provided. An enclosure includes an outer housing surrounding an inner cavity configured to receive a heat sensitive component therein, a cover configured to matingly engage the outer housing such that the inner cavity is sealed from an environment external to the enclosure, wherein at least one of the outer housing and the cover are formed from a ceramic material.