Ice modification removal and prevention

• US 7,883,609 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dartmouth College
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmounth College (Dartmouth College)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Charles, Deresh, Lev, Petrenko, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Phasge; Arun S
• Application Number:
  US10/466,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040149734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,304 Days
• Field of Search: 204/242, 219/770, 219/780, 62/80, 622/76
• US Class Current: 204/242
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3805 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/12 by electric heating electric heating elements in general H05B
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/02 Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/62 Apparatus for specific applications

Abstract

An alternating electric field is applied to ice (530) to generate a resistive AC having a frequency greater than 1000 Hz in interfacial ice at interface (554). A first electrode (510) and a second electrode (514) proximate to the interface are separated by an electrical insulator (512). An AC power source (520) provides a voltage of about 10 to 500 volts across the electrodes to create the alternating electric field. A portion of the capacitive AC associated with the alternating electric field is present in the interfacial ice as conductivity (resistive) AC, which causes dielectric loss heating in the interfacial ice.

Claims

1. A system for melting interfacial ice 132, comprising:

a first electrode 110, 412, 510, 610, 710, 810

a second electrode 114, 414, 514, 614, 714, 814, the first electrode and the second electrode defining an interelectrode space 116 between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode defining an interelectrode distance that separates the first electrode and the second electrode;

an AC power source 120, 520, 974 for providing an AC voltage across the first and second electrodes having a frequency greater than 100 Hz.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the AC power source provides an AC voltage in a range of about from 10 volts to 500 volts.

3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising an electrical insulator 112, 512, 712, 812, 813, 972 located in the interelectrode space.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein the insulator comprises a nonconductive rubber windshield wiper blade 712, 813.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the interfacial ice 132 is located in the interelectrode space 116.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the interelectrode distance has a value in a range of about from 50 μ

m to 500 μ

m.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein the interelectrode distance has a value less than 50 μ

m.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein the interelectrode distance has a value greater than 500 μ

m.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a layer of conductive glass 110, 510.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the second electrode 114 comprises a layer of conductive glass.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode 110 comprises a transparent conductive metal oxide 304.

12. A system as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a conductive grid.

13. A system as in claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a conductive grid 304.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes 412, 414, 960 are interdigitated.

15. A system as in claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a conductive rubber windshield wiper blade 514.

16. A freezer system 2700 for melting ice in a freezer, comprising:

a freezer including a housing 2701;

a first movable electrode 2702;

a second electrode 2704, the first movable electrode 2702 movable for forming an interelectrode space 2706 to accommodate a freezer package between the first movable electrode and the second electrode; and

an AC power source 2710 for providing an AC voltage across the first and second electrodes with a frequency not less than about 1000 Hz.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the second electrode 2704 is a movable electrode.

18. A system 2300 for melting ice, comprising:

a first electrode 2302;

a second electrode 2304, the first electrode and the second electrode defining an interelectrode space 2306 between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a conductive layer 2364 located in the interelectrode space and proximate to the ice, the conductive layer being electrically insulated from the first and second electrodes and from ice;

an AC power source 2310 for providing an AC voltage across the first and second electrodes with a frequency not less than about 1000 Hz.

19. A system as in claim 18, further comprising an outer dielectric film 2363 that electrically insulates the conductive layer from the first and second electrodes and from ice.

20. A system as in claim 18, wherein the AC voltage has a frequency in a range of about from 10 kHz to 30 kHz.

21. A system as in claim 18, wherein the AC voltage has an amplitude in a range of about from 10 V to 10 kV.

22. A system of melting and preventing ice using a high-frequency electric field, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode separated by an interelectrode distance in a range of about from 100 μ

m to 2 cm;

an interelectrode space defined by the first electrode and the second electrode and located between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a power source for providing an AC voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode with a frequency not less than 100 Hz.

23. A system as in claim 22, further comprising a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, wherein the first electrodes alternate with the second electrodes, and wherein the interelectrode distance between adjacent first and second electrodes is in a range of about from 100 μ

m to 2 cm.

24. A system as in claim 23, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are interdigitated.

25. A system as in claim 23, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed on a surface of a solid object.

26. A system as in claim 25, wherein the solid object is selected from the group consisting of:

a cooling coil, a heat exchanger, an interior of a freezer, an external surface of an aircraft, an external surface of a ship, and a transportation surface.

27. A system as in claim 23, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes include heat exchanger fins.

28. A system as in claim 27, wherein each side surface of first electrode fins and second electrode fins has a surface area in a range of about from 1 cm² to 100 cm².

29. A system as in claim 23, wherein the first electrodes are physically connected to a cooling coil and are electrically connected to ground, and the second electrodes are electrically connected to the AC power source.

30. A system as in claim 23, wherein the AC power source provides a voltage in a range of about 250 volts (rms) to 2.5 kV (rms).

31. A system as in claim 23, wherein the AC power source generates an alternating electric field in a plurality of interelectrode spaces having a field strength in a range of about from 100 V/cm to 100 kV/cm.

32. A system as in claim 22, wherein the AC power source provides a voltage having a frequency in a range of about from 100 Hz to 100 MHz.

33. A system as in claim 22, wherein the AC power source provides power in a range of about from 1 W/m² to 50 kW/m² of protected surface area.