The Boeing Company
Self-regulating thermal insulation and related methods

Abstract:

Presently disclosed self-regulating thermal insulation may include one or more thermal actuators that may expand and contract in response to changes in temperature adjacent the thermal insulation, thereby automatically changing the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation. In this manner, a self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to locally adjust in response to local changes in temperature of a part being insulated, for example, during curing or some other manufacturing process. Such self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to respond to temperature changes without feedback control systems, power, or human intervention. One example of self-regulating thermal insulation may include a first plate, a second plate, a support structure coupling the first plate and the second plate and defining an insulation thickness therebetween, an internal partition positioned between the first plate and the second plate, and at least one thermal actuator positioned between the second plate and the internal partition.