초록 ▼

A thermal de-ice and anti-ice system for aircraft surfaces employs a laminate in which flexible expanded graphite foil is an electrical and heat conducting layer that is disposed below an outer heat conducting layer, with an electrically insulating layer below the graphite layer. The flexible expand

A thermal de-ice and anti-ice system for aircraft surfaces employs a laminate in which flexible expanded graphite foil is an electrical and heat conducting layer that is disposed below an outer heat conducting layer, with an electrically insulating layer below the graphite layer. The flexible expanded graphite layer requires about three times less wattage than known resistance heating pad thermal systems to achieve de-ice and/or anti-ice temperatures. The temperature of the surface is controlled by varying the power supplied to the flexible expanded graphite layer of the laminate in response to a real time temperature value transmitted to a power control.

대표청구항 ▼

[I claim:] [1.]a heat-conducting tape bonded to an outer surface of an aircraft, wherein the outer surface includes a leading edge, the heat-conducting tape comprising at least two layers laminated to each other under heat and pressure, the layers comprising (i) a non-metallic electrical and heat co

[I claim:] [1.]a heat-conducting tape bonded to an outer surface of an aircraft, wherein the outer surface includes a leading edge, the heat-conducting tape comprising at least two layers laminated to each other under heat and pressure, the layers comprising (i) a non-metallic electrical and heat conductive layer connected to a power source, the non-metallic conductive layer consisting of a continuous flexible expanded graphite foil sheet, and (ii) an outer heat-conducting layer that is an electrical insulator, having a thermal conductivity of about 0.1 W/M.degree. K to about 5 W/M.degree. K;a power source;an electronic connection for connecting the flexible expanded graphite foil sheet to the power source;a programmable power control forcontrolling the delivery of electrical energy from the power source to the flexible expanded graphite foil sheet;a temperature sensor in communication with an outer surface of the heat conducting layer and in electronic communication with the power control for real time transmitting to the power control of a value representing the temperature of the outer surface of the heat conducting layer, wherein the power control further comprises a receiving unit for receiving the real time temperature value;wherein the power control is programmed to store a predetermined reference temperature range; the power control is further programmed to compare the received real time temperature value with the predetermined reference temperature range; the power control is further programmed to indicate an acceptable temperature when the received temperature value falls within the reference range; and the power control is further programmed to signal the power source to provide more or less electrical energy to the flexible expanded graphite layer of the laminate when the received temperature falls outside the reference temperature range.