Thermally Conductive Polyurethane Foam for Faster Mattress Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density flexible polyurethane foams have low thermal conductivities, leading to slow heat dissipation and increased heat retention, making them uncomfortable for use in bedding and seating applications, as they tend to 'sleep hotter' due to reduced open void space and decreased convective heat transfer.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating highly thermally conductive solids such as silicon carbide, diamond crystal powder, or boron nitride into a flexible polyurethane foam matrix to increase thermal conductivity, allowing for faster heat dissipation from warm surfaces to cooler regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high-density flexible polyurethane foam is used, then comfort and support are improved, but thermal conductivity decreases causing heat retention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates highly thermally-conductive solids (such as aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or boron nitride particles) into the flexible polyurethane foam matrix to create a composite material. This composite combines the comfort and support properties of the foam with the high thermal conductivity of the solid particles, enabling faster heat dissipation while maintaining the desired mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the thermal conductivity parameter of the foam by adding thermally-conductive solids at varying concentrations (typically 1-50% by weight). This changes the thermal transport properties of the material without fundamentally altering the foam structure, allowing optimization of heat dissipation while preserving comfort characteristics.
2Strength
If foam density is increased for better support, then open void space reduces, but convective heat transfer decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the convective heat transfer mechanism (which relies on air movement through void spaces) with conductive heat transfer through thermally-conductive solids. The solids provide a direct thermal conduction pathway that does not depend on the presence of open void spaces or air circulation, thereby maintaining support capability while enabling effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally-conductive solids act as intermediaries between the body and the surrounding environment, providing an alternative heat transfer pathway. These solids conduct heat away from the body through their high thermal conductivity, compensating for the reduced convective heat transfer caused by decreased void space in high-density foam.
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 addition of these thermally conductive solids enhances heat transfer through conduction and convection, improving the thermal conductivity of the foam by up to 15.8% and enabling faster heat dissipation from warm regions to cooler regions, thus addressing the comfort issues associated with traditional high-density foams.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating highly thermally conductive solids such as silicon carbide, diamond crystal powder, or boron nitride into a flexible polyurethane foam matrix to increase thermal conductivity, allowing for faster heat dissipation from warm surfaces to cooler regions
Implementation Method 2
High density flexible polyurethane foams have low thermal conductivities in the range of 0.02-0.04 W/(m-° K.) in an uncompressed state. High density polyurethane foams have a tendency to trap heat and slowly diffuse heat through conduction and convection.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and combinations of mattress support surfaces comprising one or more flexible polyurethane foam layers containing highly thermally-conductive solids, such as diamond or silicon carbide, and said layer combination is capable of transferring heat from a warm surface, such as a person sleeping on a bed, to a cooler region at a faster rate throughout the mattress than the thermal dissipation rate obtained from flexible polyurethane foam without highly thermally-conductive solids.