Archive for the ‘wire’ tag
Self-healing wires
A University of Dayton Research Institute chemist who identified a plausible cause for the explosion that downed TWA flight 800 in 1996, has developed a self-healing wire designed to prevent a similar kind of explosion.
Bob Kauffman and his colleagues at UDRI were part of a team hired to determine the cause of the centre-wing fuel tank explosion that brought down TWA 800 killing all passengers and crew on board. The researchers determined that frayed fuel sensor wiring was to have played a significant role in the explosion.
Research showed that frayed wires exposed to moisture in a fuel tank cause conductive fuel residues to form. Kauffman explained: “If those residues are exposed to DC electricity from faulty wiring, they become red hot and can ignite the surrounding fuel.”
Kauffman’s solution if a PATCH – Power-Activated Technology for Coating and Healing – for wire insulation. The inexpensive and non-toxic formula draws on water and electricity to chemically transform itself into a permanent coating.
Read more on: Aerospace, Design, self-heal, wire