Two-Zone Ceramic Heater Layout for Crack-Resistant Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceramic heaters face challenges in uniformly implementing various temperature distributions due to thermal expansion differences between ceramic plates and metal non-heating elements, leading to cracks during sintering/heat treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic heater design with multi-zone heat generators featuring independently controllable heating elements and non-heating elements with shortened straight lengths to reduce thermal stress and improve temperature uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long non-heating element is used to electrically interconnect the electrode terminal and heating element, then electrical connectivity is ensured, but thermal stress increases and cracks occur due to thermal expansion differences between ceramic plate and metal material
Solution Approach 1:
The non-heating element is divided into multiple segments along its length, with expansion compensation portions that can independently expand and contract. This segmentation allows each segment to accommodate thermal expansion differences between the ceramic plate and metal material, reducing overall thermal stress and preventing cracks while maintaining electrical connectivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat generators with independent control are used to achieve various temperature distributions, then temperature control flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independently controllable heat generator zones, each with its own control. This allows different temperature distributions to be achieved across the ceramic plate surface, providing versatility for different heat treatment requirements while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through modular design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively reduces thermal stress and crack occurrence, enhancing the reliability and temperature uniformity of ceramic heaters by independently controlling multiple zones.
Implementation Method 1
a heater body made of a ceramic plate and a heater support mounted on the lower portion of the heater body, wherein the heater body includes a heat generator with a predetermined resistance
Implementation Method 2
because the ceramic plate of the ceramic heater has a high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 3
cracks occur at various locations within the section where the ceramic plate and the non-heating element 13 are in contact with each other due to a difference in thermal expansion rate between the aluminum nitride material constituting the ceramic plate and the metal material constituting the non-heating element 13
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a two-zone heating element which is embedded in a ceramic heater, the two-zone heating element comprising: first and second heating parts which can be independently controlled by a power supply device; a first non-heating part which is disposed between first and second sub-heating portions constituting the first heating part and electrically connects the first and second sub-heating portions to each other; and a second non-heating part which is disposed between the second heating part and a first electrode terminal and electrically connects the second heating part and the first electrode terminal to each other.