Micro-Scale Inertial Igniter for Miniature Thermal Battery

Tanner Research, Inc. proposes to implement in Phase I a TRL-5 micro-scale inertial igniter suitable for gun-launched activation of miniature thermal batteries. Tanner’s inertial device uses MEMS-based S&A functionality to close a hypergolic switch and initiate a pyrotechnic to heat and liquefy molten-salt electrolyte activating a miniature thermal battery. Tanner’s inertial component is multifunctional and designed to meet very tight (e.g., 1000-to-1500 “g” for 5 msec), or very loose (e.g., 1000-to-50,000 “g” for 5 msec) gun-launch setback environments. Similarly, the device is designed to survive a 7-to-40 foot drop onto concrete (e.g., 1000 “g” BUT only lasting less than 1 msec) without tripping the hypergolic switch. This unique functionality comes from an innovative built-in micro-channel compressibility feature. Therefore, to survive the drop test, the design cannot be vacuum-sealed. However, the inertial igniter must ultimately survive a 20-year shelf life requirement so Tanner will determine in Phase II which inert gas will not react unfavorably with the thermal battery electrolyte to be used.