CPI Thermal Switches Are Heating Up

Mac Stuhler / March 10th, 2018

The vast majority of thermal switch applications we get have to do with keeping things from getting too hot. Just a few examples of this include:

• Gally fire detection
• Avionics Bay Over Temperature
• Brake over temperature warnings
• Hydraulic fluid temperature monitoring
• Engine oil over temperature monitoring
• APU over temperature monitoring

The list continues but most of these applications are essentially safety systems where our high temperature thermal switch products are uniquely capable and reliable. They detect a high temperature and then close or open to activate a cooling system, an alarm, or a slowdown of the machinery to restore acceptable thermal limits.

The Navy’s Phalanx Gun Firing System

In an interesting twist on our normal thermal switch applications, one of our electronic AC Series thermal switches, is being used to heat things up!

The Phalanx system is part of a family of military defenses referred to as “Close-in Weapon Systems” (CIWS ) They are designed to engage anti-ship cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft at short range. Phalanx is the most heavily deployed CIWS with thousands of these guns mounted on US naval vessels and exported to allies around the world. Like other close-in weapon systems, Phalanx provides ships with a terminal defense against anti-ship missiles that have penetrated other fleet defenses. Phalanx is unique in that it combines search, detection, threat evaluation, acquisition, track, firing, target destruction, kill assessment and cease fire into a single, small deck footprint, mounting.

The electronics on Phalanx are complicated and actually work most reliably at a higher operating temperature. In this application our AC006-501 will trigger when ambient temperature in the electronics bay drops below 70F. This activation triggers heaters built into the gun to keep circuit boards in the bay from getting too cold!

In this application, our AC006, switches almost 10 amps of resistive power. It is set to close-on-fall at 70F but our thermal switches are available in all varients (close on rise, open on fall, etc…)

CPI Thermal Switches for Military Applications

CPI is certainly a well seasoned supplier of military grade, thermal control components, having produced parts for the US military for over 70 years. We maintain these designs through the years, supporting the military’s upgrade and obsolescence programs, providing drop in replacements when older thermal switches from other manufactures cannot be produced any more.

Whether you’re trying to keep it hot or cold in your application.  CPI’s thermal switches get the job done. Call our engineering team today!

https://www.cpi-nj.com