THERMAL INSULATION AND IMP SHOCK ABSORBING MATERIA DRDO has designed and developed a thermal protection system based on microporous thermal insulation material (blocks/panels) and alumina-silica and aramid felts (flexible panels), which protects memory module of flight data recorder (FDR) of AN 32 aircraft from high temperature fire and impact shock. Microporous thermal insulation material is based on amorphous ultra-fine silica, metal oxides (TiO, Al,O;, and ZrO.) and glass filaments (23 microns) which are compacted under pressure to form lightweight products in the form of blocks/panels. The blocks/panels offer maximum thermal insulation in a minimum amount space. The microporous material has microporous structure and low density (0.25 to 0.45 g/cm’) which minimises transmission of heat over a wide temperature range. Microporou Salient Features 4 @ = Thermal conductivity: 0.02 1 to 0.041 W/m K @ = Thermal stability: Up to 1 100°C @ High specific heat capacity: 1000 J/kg K at 400 °C @ Resistance to compression: Up to 8.2 kg/cm? Flexible panels of aramid felt have been used on both side of the | memory board. The aramid felt panels are lighter in weight (density 0.09 to 0.11 gm/cm’) with low thermal conductivity. These panels protect the — memory board from vibration and impact shock waves. Flexible panels of alumina-silica felt are positioned at the interface of power supply card and memory board sub-assembly, which acts as a thermal barrier to high Mic temperature fire. Alumina-silica material offers low thermal conductivity, lightweight (0.10 0.14 g/cm’) and thermal stability up to 1260°C. The system has successfully gone through high temperature (heat flux:158 kW/m?) fire test at