High Temperature Electronics

The migration of electronic control units from the engine fan-case to the core would be considered a huge benefit for the engine designer, reducing interconnection complexity and system weight, simplifying assembly and maintenance and providing key nacelle aerodynamic and bypass flow improvements.

However, today’s engine control electronics, typically mounted on the engine fan-case, operates to a maximum temperature in the order of 125 deg C. If the control electronics were to be migrated to the engine core environment, it would be subjected to steady-state temperatures in the order of 2500C, rising to 3000C during transient engine behaviour. In this environment, today’s electronic control units would exhibit inferior performance, reduced reliability and extremely short lifetimes.

The prime aim of the HiTME project was therefore to develop a safety-critical electronic system which can operate reliably when installed in the severe engine core environment. Central to this objective, was the development, to TRL6, of electronic components and material technologies along with smart thermal and packaging designs that make the concept feasible.

In order to design a product capable of withstanding the high temperatures associated with an engine core installation, whilst still maintaining performance (accuracy) and life, fundamental advancement in key technological areas will be necessary. The following areas were seen as the underpinning building blocks that will ‘enable’ a new generation product that will form the core of the research activity:

• Component Enhancement (HTSOI, SiC & Passive Components)

• Thermal Design (Cooling Technologies)

• Material Selection (Material Technologies)

• Packaging / Installation Design (Novel Packaging)

• Develop Test Methods (and Analyses)