Aircraft de-icing system
First Claim
1. An aircraft structure comprising a surface that includes a leading edge, and a heat-conducting tape bonded to the surface for electrothermally removing ice from or preventing the formation of ice on the surface, the heat-conducting tape comprising a first area that forms a parting strip having a length disposed spanwise along the leading edge, a second area disposed spanwise above and aft of the parting strip forming a first ice accumulation and shedding zone, and a third area disposed spanwise below and aft of the parting strip, forming a second ice accumulation and shedding zone,wherein the heat-conducting tape comprises at least two layers laminated to each other under heat and pressure, the layers comprising (i) an outer heat-conducting layer that is an electrical insulator, and (ii) a non-metallic electrical and heat-conducting layer connected to a power source, the non-metallic electrical and heat-conducting layer consisting of a continuous flexible expanded graphite foil sheet having a first thickness in the parting strip, a second thickness in the first ice accumulation and shedding zone, and a third thickness in the second ice accumulation and shedding zone, wherein the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil sheet in the parting strip is greater than the thickness of the foil in each of the first and the second ice accumulation and shedding zones.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrothermal zoned de-icing system for an aircraft employs a heat-conducting tape bonded to the leading edge of an aircraft structure. The heat-conducting tape has a spanwise parting strip area, and first and second ice accumulation and shedding zones. The tape comprises a non-metallic electrical and heat conducting layer consisting of flexible expanded graphite foil laminated to an outer heat-conducting layer, in which the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil layer in the parting strip area is always greater than the thickness of the foil layer in either of the ice accumulation and shedding zones. Therefore, the parting strip area has a decreased electrical resistance, a greater flow of current, and becomes hotter than the zones in which the foil layer is thinner. Because the flexible expanded graphite foil is a monolithic structure that may be shaped, sculptured or layered to form different thicknesses in different areas, only a single control mechanism for a single set of electric terminals is necessary to produce desired watt densities and temperatures in the parting strip and ice accumulation and shedding zones.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. An aircraft structure comprising a surface that includes a leading edge, and a heat-conducting tape bonded to the surface for electrothermally removing ice from or preventing the formation of ice on the surface, the heat-conducting tape comprising a first area that forms a parting strip having a length disposed spanwise along the leading edge, a second area disposed spanwise above and aft of the parting strip forming a first ice accumulation and shedding zone, and a third area disposed spanwise below and aft of the parting strip, forming a second ice accumulation and shedding zone,
wherein the heat-conducting tape comprises at least two layers laminated to each other under heat and pressure, the layers comprising (i) an outer heat-conducting layer that is an electrical insulator, and (ii) a non-metallic electrical and heat-conducting layer connected to a power source, the non-metallic electrical and heat-conducting layer consisting of a continuous flexible expanded graphite foil sheet having a first thickness in the parting strip, a second thickness in the first ice accumulation and shedding zone, and a third thickness in the second ice accumulation and shedding zone, wherein the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil sheet in the parting strip is greater than the thickness of the foil in each of the first and the second ice accumulation and shedding zones.
Specification