Aeronautical Probe Heater with Ceramic Insulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aeronautical wind vanes face issues with heat barrier and mechanical stress due to electric insulation, leading to inefficient de-icing and potential breakage of connections, which affects the accuracy of wind orientation measurement and lift computation.
Innovation Solution
The use of self-supporting electrodes with electrically insulating substrates and heating resistive elements, where the substrates have similar thermal expansion coefficients to the resistive elements, allowing for improved heat and electric conduction, reduced operating temperatures, and increased reliability by eliminating fatigue and short-circuit risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polymer or resin coating is used for electrical insulation of ceramic blocks and conductive plates, then electrical insulation is achieved, but thermal conduction is hindered and mechanical stress occurs due to differential thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the insulation from polymer/resin to ceramic coating, which has fundamentally different thermal and mechanical properties. The ceramic coating maintains electrical insulation while providing superior thermal conduction and matching thermal expansion characteristics with the ceramic blocks, thereby resolving the contradiction between electrical insulation and heat transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure where a ceramic coating is applied to the ceramic blocks. This composite approach combines the electrical insulation properties of the coating with the thermal conduction properties of the ceramic substrate, achieving both electrical isolation and efficient heat transfer simultaneously.
2Reliability
If a polymer or resin coating is used for electrical insulation, then electrical insulation is achieved, but mechanical connections are subjected to fatigue stress due to differential thermal expansion coefficients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from polymer/resin to ceramic coating. The ceramic coating has a thermal expansion coefficient that matches the ceramic blocks, eliminating the differential expansion stress that causes fatigue in mechanical connections. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining electrical insulation while preserving mechanical connection integrity.
3Reliability
If ceramic blocks operate at very high temperatures to compensate for heat barrier, then de-icing effectiveness is improved, but electricity consumption increases and premature aging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the insulation material from polymer/resin to ceramic coating, which has superior thermal conduction properties. This allows the ceramic blocks to operate at lower temperatures while maintaining the same de-icing effectiveness, thereby reducing electricity consumption and preventing premature aging of the ceramic blocks.
4Reliability
If polymer or resin coating is used for electrical insulation, then electrical insulation is achieved, but uniformity of coating is difficult to maintain and electrical contacts may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a ceramic coating applied to the ceramic blocks. The ceramic coating can be applied as a thin, uniform layer through conventional ceramic coating techniques, providing reliable electrical insulation without the uniformity problems associated with polymer or resin coatings. The ceramic-nature of the coating ensures consistent electrical properties.
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 solution enhances thermal efficiency, reduces electricity consumption, and increases the reliability of the wind vane by minimizing mechanical and thermal stresses, ensuring accurate wind orientation measurement and prolonged service life.
Implementation Method 1
heating resistive elements, each electrode being formed of an electrically insulating substrate and an electrically active portion forming one face of the electrode in question, each resistive element being in contact with the faces of the electrodes
Implementation Method 2
each electrode being formed of an electrically insulating substrate and an electrically active portion forming one face of the electrode in question
Implementation Method 3
the substrates have similar thermal expansion coefficients to the resistive elements, allowing for improved heat and electric conduction, reduced operating temperatures, and increased reliability by eliminating fatigue and short-circuit risks
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an aeronautical probe designed to be mounted on the skin of an aircraft and comprising a probe body protruding from the skin of the aircraft and a heater for de-icing an external surface of the probe body. According to the invention, the heater comprises two self-supporting electrodes and heating resistive elements. Each electrode is formed of an electrically insulating substrate and of an electrically active portion forming one face of the electrode in question. Each resistive element is in contact with the faces of the electrodes. The notable advantages of the invention are that it makes it possible to reduce the operating temperature of the resistive elements and the phenomena of fatigue in the mechanical link between the electrodes and the resistive elements due to different expansion coefficients.