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FIREWALL INSULATION

Dan Horton has done extensive work with various materials and locations for insulating the firewall....Cliff note version is to use Fiberfrax on engine side, cover with stainless steel foil.

Lots of good info to be found by searching archives.
 
Lindy, click "search" above, select "advanced search", and when you get to the advanced search page, use the keywords "firewall insulation", put "DanH" in the user name space, and select "posts" at the bottom. You find a few spirited threads, 2008 to current. And if you want to skip the reading, just do it like this.





 
Belly Photo

Dan Horton: "And if you want to skip the reading, just do it like this."

[/QUOTE]

Sorry, I don't understand the belly photo. Exhaust heats the belly/floorboard?
 
No. Fire melts the belly and floor. Its a fire barrier as I understand it. What you're looking at IIRC is fiberfrax sandwiched between two layers of light weight stainless steel foil. The sealed assembly is riveted to the belly and firewall and serves to buy the pilot time should an in flight engine fire occur.
 
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That's an RV-10. They tend to have a problem with a hot tunnel. Just like the firewall, insulating the hot side is far more effective than any insulation inside the structure. And in the event of an engine compartment fire, it will nicely shield the belly.

I have no specific advice for an RV-12 tunnel, having never looked closely at one, but the basic principle applies anywhere.
 
Sorry, I don't understand the belly photo. Exhaust heats the belly/floorboard?

That photo happens to be the bottom of our airplane. A little history data.

Prior to adding this external insulation the airplane was operated for more than 600hrs. In flight measurement of the air temperature inside the tunnel was 145 deg. F after 2+hrs of cross country flight with 65deg oat.

The exhaust is probably not the issue.

Think of the continuous flow of 200 deg air flowing out of the cowl exit and attaching itself to the belly of The airplane. Now consider the belly being thermally connected to the tunnel, and associated interior. Also noted was how quite a lot of heat was being rejected into the cockpit.

After installing this on the belly and firewall, the tunnel internal air temperature is 110 deg. F. At the same conditions and less heat felt coming into the cockpit.
 
Firewall Insulation

Has anybody tried the fire protective paint that Aircraft Extras (Vans Airforce Advertiser) has on their link. This type of product has been used successfully in certain types of building construction in regards to prolonged structural integrity in fire situations. If it reacts as advertised, it would be much simpler. Just a thought.
 
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