Liferaft Container Heating for CO2 Snow Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inflatable liferaft systems face challenges with carbon dioxide snow formation during inflation, leading to slow inflation times and potential icing of the container, which can hinder the release system's functionality in low temperatures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating heating means, such as electric heating cables or mats, within the container to minimize carbon dioxide snow formation and prevent icing by using heated gas or electric heating elements, ensuring efficient inflation and system functionality in cold conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carbon dioxide is vented from the gas cylinder into the liferaft for inflation, then the liferaft can be inflated, but carbon dioxide snow formation occurs causing localized temperature below -40 DEG C which freezes the inflatable chamber fabric and slows inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a water layer as an intermediary substance between the carbon dioxide gas and the inflatable chamber fabric. This water layer absorbs the excessive cold from the carbon dioxide snow, preventing direct contact with the fabric and maintaining its flexibility. The water acts as a thermal buffer, allowing rapid inflation while preventing fabric freezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters by introducing liquid water into the inflation chamber. This water undergoes phase change or temperature adjustment to counteract the extreme cold from carbon dioxide expansion. By controlling the temperature parameter through the water layer, the system maintains fabric flexibility while enabling rapid inflation.
2Productivity
If the entire amount of inflation gas is supplied to a single inlet, then inflation can proceed, but there is a high risk of insufficient heat supply to that place resulting in one big ice lump and slow gas generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single inflation inlet into multiple distribution points by introducing water at different locations within the container. This segmentation allows heat to be drawn from multiple surrounding areas rather than concentrating the cold at one location, preventing ice lump formation and ensuring reliable gas generation throughout the inflation process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the container is exposed to low temperature environments, then the liferaft can be deployed in cold areas, but the container ices up causing the release system to malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water as a protective intermediary layer between the external cold environment and the container interior components. This water layer prevents ice formation on the container surface and protects the release system from freezing, ensuring reliable operation in cold temperature environments while maintaining the container's adaptability to various climates.
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 heating system enables faster inflation and prevents icing, ensuring the liferaft inflates quickly and reliably, even in low-temperature environments, by maintaining flexibility of the inflatable chamber fabric and ensuring the release system functions properly.
Implementation Method 1
The system according to the invention can be heated with one or more electric heating cables
Implementation Method 2
The heating cables can be placed inside the container in one or both container parts
Implementation Method 3
as the carbon dioxide is vented from the gas cylinder into the liferaft, expansive cooling occurs, which can result in the formation of carbon dioxide 'snow'
Implementation Method 4
As the carbon dioxide is vented from the gas cylinder into the liferaft, expansive cooling occurs
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a liferaft system comprising a container (1) containing an inflatable liferaft and means for inflating the liferaft by means of an inflating gas preferably carbon dioxide or a mixture of gases, the container being openable to allow deployment of the liferaft, said openable container consists of at least two container parts, wherein the container contains means (2) for heating the system.