Title:
AIRCRAFT DE-ICING SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001008463
Kind Code:
A3
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 (122), 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 (122) is always greater than the thickness of the foil layer in either of the ice accumulation and shedding zones (123, 124). 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.
Inventors:
RUTHERFORD ROBERT B
DUDMAN RICHARD L
DUDMAN RICHARD L
Application Number:
PCT/US1999/017640
Publication Date:
February 28, 2002
Filing Date:
July 30, 1999
Export Citation:
Assignee:
NORTHCOAST TECHNOLOGIES (US)
International Classes:
B64D15/14; B64D15/12; (IPC1-7): B64D15/12; H05B3/26
Domestic Patent References:
| WO2001008973A1 | 2001-02-08 |
Foreign References:
| FR2756254A1 | 1998-05-29 | |||
| GB2319943A | 1998-06-03 | |||
| DE4333852A1 | 1995-03-30 |
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