Loss of control of an exothermal process due to temperature increases
This article is about Positive thermal feedback in engineering processes. For climate change entering an unstoppable and rapidly warming phase, see Runaway greenhouse effect.
Diagram of thermal runaway
Thermal runaway describes a process that is accelerated by increased temperature, in turn releasing energy that further increases temperature. Thermal runaway occurs in situations where an increase in temperature changes the conditions in a way that causes a further increase in temperature, often leading to a destructive result. It is a kind of uncontrolled positive feedback.
In chemistry (and chemical engineering), thermal runaway is associated with strongly exothermic reactions that are accelerated by temperature rise. In electrical engineering, thermal runaway is typically associated with increased current flow and power dissipation. Thermal runaway can occur in civil engineering, notably when the heat released by large amounts of curing concrete is not controlled.[citation needed] In astrophysics, runaway nuclear fusion reactions in stars can lead to nova and several types of supernova explosions, and also occur as a less dramatic event in the normal evolution of solar-mass stars, the "helium flash".
Thermalrunaway describes a process that is accelerated by increased temperature, in turn releasing energy that further increases temperature. Thermal...
producing thermalrunaway and possibly an explosion or other chemical reaction. A simple substance (like water) may exist in equilibrium with its thermal decomposition...
with low thermal conductivity, where dielectric constant increases with temperature, microwave heating can cause localized thermalrunaway. Under certain...
intermediate voltages into '0' and '1' states. On the other hand, thermalrunaway is a type of positive feedback that can destroy semiconductor junctions...
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in 1979. The plane has had two major battery thermalrunaway events in 52,000 flight hours, neither of which were contained safely;...
some battery chemistries are at risk of thermalrunaway, leading to cell rupture or combustion. As thermalrunaway is determined not only by cell chemistry...
in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions), followed by thermalrunaway (self heating which rapidly accelerates to high temperatures) and finally...
the cooler regions when Vgs is very close to Vth. This can lead to thermalrunaway and the destruction of the MOSFET even when it is operating within...
releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable Thermalrunaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic process while...
evolutionary stages of a massive star, or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion. The original object, called the progenitor, either collapses...
A helium flash is a very brief thermalrunaway nuclear fusion of large quantities of helium into carbon through the triple-alpha process in the core of...
positive feedback results in thermalrunaway. There are several approaches to mitigate bipolar transistor thermalrunaway. For example, Negative feedback...
A runaway greenhouse effect will occur when a planet's atmosphere contains greenhouse gas in an amount sufficient to block thermal radiation from leaving...
reaction energy with virtually no cobalt content to avoid cobalt's thermalrunaway characteristic, have become available. FAA approved a 787 battery in...
metallisation on a chip may thus cause secondary overvoltage damage. Thermalrunaway can cause sudden failures including melting, fire or explosions. The...
many bystanders. In chemical engineering, a reaction which undergoes thermalrunaway can cause catastrophic failure. It can be difficult to isolate the...
frequent replacement or recharging, and may risk explosion due to thermalrunaway. According to Sarcos, the company has solved some of these issues related...
Grignard reactions often can have a long induction period, followed by a thermalrunaway, even causing the reaction solvent to boil-off. IUPAC, Compendium of...
circuits, MOSFETs sometimes have the advantage of not suffering from thermalrunaway as BJTs do.[dubious – discuss] This means that complete analog circuits...
a thermalrunaway. Pressures rapidly reached 400 psi (28 bar), bursting the reactor's rupture disc, but this was insufficient to slow the runaway reaction...
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