Mon, Jan 03, 2011
Aviation publications LOVE to write about all the new wiz-bangs
that are seen front and center is today's cockpits... the latest
generation of cockpit displays are about a slick as things get
these and look sexy as hell. BUT... what about the BEHIND the
scenes... those components that allow all those super-cool new
technologies to remain... well, super cool?
So... we spent some time with some of the coolest people we
know,.,l the folks of Sandia Aerospace to get the skinny on
avionics cooling fans and why such inexpensive devices might be
some of the best bargains in all of aviation.
Sandia notes that, "It is well known that reducing the
temperature at which electronics components operate increases their
life expectancy. The avionics you depend on for critical navigation
and communication functions endure one of the harshest environments
of any electronics... the avionics stack!
Today’s avionics are housed in smaller and smaller
packages that retain heat. They are also subjected to chimney
effect, where the heat from the bottom radios rise throughout the
entire radio stack, increasing overall operating temperatures.
Today, engineers are making greater use of surface mounted devices
to reduce size and weight. And although these devices use less
power, they are more sensitive to heat."
Mind you, its not enough to just keep things cool... but to let
you know when they aren't... Sandia offers three cooling solutions
that offer fault detection outputs that can notify a pilot whenever
the cooling unit drops below a preset level. This allows you to get
service for the unit as soon as practical, and reduces potential
harm to your avionics.
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