Graphene Plane Heater Electrode Design for Uniform Heat Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plane heaters experience non-uniform heat generation due to local overheating at power input points, resulting in inadequate heat distribution across the heating surface, making them unsuitable for devices requiring uniform heating.
Innovation Solution
The design involves a pair of electrodes with varying sectional areas or intervals, configured to ensure all electric circuits have the same resistance, with branch electrodes and primary electrodes arranged to distribute current uniformly across the heat generation material, preventing direct current flow and optimizing heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional plane heaters use uniform electrode design, then manufacturing is simple, but heat generation is non-uniform with local overheating at power input points
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure employs varying sectional areas at different locations to achieve uniform current distribution. Specifically, the first and second electrodes have different sectional areas at corresponding positions, creating non-uniform electrical characteristics that compensate for the natural current concentration at power input points, thereby achieving uniform heat generation across the heating surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of electrode sectional area along the length of the electrodes. By gradually varying the cross-sectional dimensions of the first and second electrodes, the electrical resistance is adjusted at different positions to ensure uniform current density and heat generation throughout the heating surface.
2Temperature
If electrode sectional areas are varied to achieve uniform resistance, then heat generation becomes uniform, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrodes are divided into multiple sections along their length, with each section having a specific sectional area designed to achieve uniform resistance. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing of discrete sections that can be assembled or patterned with controlled precision, reducing the overall manufacturing difficulty compared to continuous variable geometry.
3Temperature
If branch electrodes are used to distribute current, then heat generation uniformity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into primary electrodes connected to power input points and multiple branch electrodes that distribute current across the heating surface. This hierarchical segmentation creates multiple parallel current paths, ensuring uniform current distribution and heat generation while maintaining a structured, manufacturable configuration.
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
This approach ensures uniform resistance heat generation across the entire surface, enhancing the applicability of plane heaters to devices needing consistent heating and allowing for a more efficient use of the heating material.
Implementation Method 1
when a direct or alternating current voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, current flows across the conductive heating material and thus resistance heat is generated
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a plane heater that generates heat by using graphene or the like as the conductive heat generation material thereof. The plane heater includes: a nonconductor substrate; a heat generation material applied to the nonconductor substrate; and a pair of electrodes configured to generate resistance heat in the heat generation material. The pair of electrodes include a first electrode configured to be connected to one pole of a power source, and a second electrode configured to be connected to the other pole of the power source. The sectional areas of at least some portions of the first electrode and the second electrode are determined such that a plurality of electric circuits formed by the first electrode, the heat generation material, and the second electrode can have the theoretically same resistance.