Crash-Protected Memory Unit with Endothermic Cooling to Reduce Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crash-protected memory units for flight recorders are bulky and heavy due to the thick and heavy shielding required to meet high temperature and impact protection standards, necessitating a reduction in size and weight while maintaining data integrity under extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
A crash-protected memory unit with an active casing containing a heat absorption material that undergoes an endothermic chemical process to provide active thermal insulation, combined with a passive casing made of heat-resistant material, utilizing inorganic hydrates like copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate for dehydration to cool the electronic memory, and a system of openings for vapor outgassing to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thick and heavy shielding is used to protect the electronic memory from high temperature and impact, then data integrity under extreme conditions is ensured, but the weight and volume of the memory unit increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition materials (paraffin wax) that undergo solid-liquid phase change at specific temperatures to absorb heat energy. This phase transition mechanism provides active thermal protection without requiring thick passive insulation layers, thereby reducing the weight and volume of the protective casing while maintaining data integrity under high temperature conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes materials whose physical or chemical parameters change in response to temperature variations. The phase transition material changes its physical state (solid to liquid) at a predetermined temperature, absorbing heat in the process. This parameter change enables dynamic thermal management that is more efficient than static thick insulation, reducing the overall protective structure weight.
2Reliability
If conventional thick and heavy shielding is used to protect the electronic memory from high temperature and impact, then data integrity under extreme conditions is ensured, but the volume of the memory unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase transition materials provide high heat absorption capacity within a compact form factor. By utilizing the latent heat of fusion during phase change, the materials can absorb significant thermal energy without requiring large volumes, thus reducing the overall size of the protective structure while maintaining data integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining phase transition materials with encapsulation layers and protective casings. This composite approach integrates multiple functions (heat absorption, thermal insulation, mechanical protection) into a compact multi-layer structure that achieves high reliability without excessive volume increase.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If thick layers of ceramic thermal insulation material and titanium shell are used, then heat resistance and shock protection are achieved, but the device becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The phase transition materials provide active heat absorption through phase change, replacing or supplementing thick passive ceramic insulation layers. This active thermal management mechanism achieves superior heat resistance with significantly reduced material thickness and weight compared to conventional thick ceramic insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical passive insulation systems (thick ceramic layers and titanium shells) with a lighter system based on phase transition heat absorption. This substitution reduces the mechanical burden of the protective casing while maintaining or improving heat resistance performance.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If thick layers of ceramic thermal insulation material and titanium shell are used, then heat resistance and shock protection are achieved, but the device becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
Phase transition materials provide high heat absorption capacity in a compact form. The latent heat absorption during phase change occurs within the material's existing volume without requiring additional thick insulation layers, thus achieving superior heat resistance without increasing the overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure integrates phase transition materials with thin encapsulation layers, replacing bulky conventional insulation assemblies. This composite approach achieves high heat resistance in a compact configuration that minimizes volume while maintaining protective performance.
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 provides effective thermal protection with reduced weight and volume, ensuring data integrity under high temperatures by leveraging chemical reactions for active cooling, thereby minimizing the need for passive insulation material.
Implementation Method 1
comprising a heat absorption material, adapted to absorb heat by undergoing an endothermic chemical process
Implementation Method 2
comprising a heat resistant material for providing a passive thermal insulation for the electronic memory
Data Source
AI summary
A crash-protected memory unit (100) for a flight recorder comprises: an electronic memory (110), configured to store data; an active casing (120), configured to encase the electronic memory (110), and comprising a heat absorption material (125), adapted to absorb heat by undergoing an endothermic chemical process, thereby providing an active thermal insulation of the electronic memory (110); and a passive casing (130), configured to encase the active casing (120), and comprising a heat resistant material (135) for providing a passive thermal insulation for the electronic memory (110).