Multilayer Piston Insulator for Hydraulic Brake Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft brake systems face reliability and performance issues due to hydraulic fluid temperature elevation, which leads to seal degradation and leakage, caused by conductive heat transfer during braking.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer piston insulator comprising axially aligned disks with a carbon material first disk and a thermally dissimilar second and third disk, such as steel or ceramic, configured to inhibit conductive heat transfer, coupled by a retaining band, and integrated into the brake assembly to mitigate heat transfer between components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single-material piston insulator is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot effectively inhibit conductive heat transfer between disks with different thermal properties
Solution Approach 1:
The piston insulator is divided into multiple disk segments (first disk, second disk, third disk) with different materials arranged in sequence. Each disk segment provides specific thermal insulation properties, creating a multi-layer thermal barrier that effectively reduces heat conduction while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston insulator employs composite material construction with at least three different materials having different thermal conductivities. The first disk uses a material with lower thermal conductivity, the second disk uses a material with higher thermal conductivity, and the third disk uses another material with different properties, creating a composite structure optimized for thermal management.
2Temperature
If materials with different thermal conductivities are used in the piston insulator, then heat transfer is inhibited, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator is segmented into discrete disk components that can be manufactured separately using appropriate processes for each material type, then assembled in a defined sequence. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific material properties while simplifying the overall manufacturing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention varies the thermal conductivity parameter across different disk materials to optimize heat transfer inhibition. By selecting materials with specific thermal conductivity values and arranging them in a particular sequence, the design achieves effective thermal management while maintaining manufacturability through parameter optimization.
3Reliability
If the piston insulator uses multiple disks with different materials, then thermal insulation performance improves, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple disk components with different materials are combined into a single integrated piston insulator assembly that functions as one cohesive unit. The disks are arranged in a specific sequence and secured together to form a unified thermal barrier that protects the hydraulic piston and seal while managing heat transfer effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-material composite structure provides enhanced thermal insulation performance by combining materials with different thermal properties in a single insulator assembly. This composite approach creates a more effective thermal barrier than single-material solutions while maintaining structural integrity and reliability.
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 effectively reduces conductive heat transfer, enhancing the reliability and performance of aircraft brake systems by minimizing hydraulic fluid temperature increases and preventing seal degradation.
Implementation Method 1
the second disk is coupled relatively between the first disk and the third disk and configured to inhibit conductive heat transfer between the first disk and the third disk
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A multilayer piston insulator (200) comprises a plurality of axially aligned disks of a disk stack (300) comprising, a first disk (306), a second disk (308), and a third disk (310), wherein the second disk (308) is coupled axially between the first disk (306) and the third disk (310) and comprises a different material than the third disk, and wherein the disk stack is configured to couple to a hydraulic piston.