Heating panels and systems and methods of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036560-B2
Application number	US-201715809183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for heating structures to either prevent the build-up of freezing precipitation or eliminate freezing precipitation on an exposed outer surface of the structures. The system includes a heating assembly integrally formed with a structure to apply thermal energy to the exposed outer surface of the structure. Optionally, the heating assembly includes heating elements formed of carbon fiber. The system optionally includes a control assembly operatively coupled to the heating assembly. The control assembly selectively powers the heating assembly and can be configured for remote operation. In use, the control assembly can be selectively activated from a remote location to power the heating assembly and heat the structure. Optionally, the structure is a concrete structure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A heating panel comprising:
a plurality of carbon fiber strips, each carbon fiber strip of the plurality of carbon fiber strips being spaced apart from adjacent carbon fiber strips within the panel and having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis extending between the opposed first and second ends; and
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes being spaced apart from other electrodes within the panel, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes is electrically coupled to each respective carbon fiber strip of the plurality of carbon fiber strips, wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are connected to the plurality of spaced electrodes to form a panel structure, wherein the panel structure has a thickness extending along a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the carbon fiber strips, and wherein the spaces between adjacent carbon fiber strips and the plurality of electrodes form openings that extend through the thickness of the panel structure relative to the transverse axis.

2. The heating panel of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each respective carbon fiber strip is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other carbon fiber strip of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips.

3. The heating panel of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are connected in parallel to the plurality of spaced electrodes.

4. The heating panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes comprises at least one pair of opposed electrodes, wherein each pair of opposed electrodes comprises a first electrode coupled to the first end of at least one spaced carbon fiber strip and a second electrode coupled to the second end of at least one spaced carbon fiber strip.

5. The heating panel of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrical wires that are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced electrodes.

6. The heating panel of claim 1 , wherein each electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips such that the longitudinal axis of each respective electrode is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes.

7. The heating panel of claim 3 , wherein each electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips such that the longitudinal axis of each respective electrode is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes, and wherein the longitudinal axes of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of spaced electrodes.

8. A heating system comprising:
a structure having an exposed outer surface; and
a heating panel comprising:
a plurality of carbon fiber strips, each carbon fiber strip of the plurality of carbon fiber strips being spaced apart from adjacent carbon fiber strips within the panel and having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis extending between the opposed first and second ends; and
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes being spaced apart from other electrodes within the panel, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes is electrically coupled to each respective carbon fiber strip of the plurality of carbon fiber strips, wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are connected to the plurality of spaced electrodes to form the heating panel, wherein the heating panel has a thickness extending along a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the carbon fiber strips, and wherein the spaces between adjacent carbon fiber strips and the plurality of electrodes form openings that extend through the thickness of the heating panel relative to the transverse axis,

wherein the heating panel is inwardly spaced from the exposed outer surface of the structure and is configured to apply thermal energy to the exposed outer surface of the structure.

9. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the structure is a concrete structure, wherein at least a portion of the concrete structure is formed over the heating panel such that the heating panel is integrally formed within the concrete structure to apply thermal energy to the exposed outer surface of the concrete structure, and wherein the concrete structure comprises a first portion positioned on a first side of the heating panel and a second portion positioned on an opposed second side of the heating panel to embed the heating panel within the concrete structure.

10. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the structure is a roof structure.

11. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each respective carbon fiber strip is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other carbon fiber strip of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips.

12. The heating system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are connected in parallel to the plurality of spaced electrodes.

13. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes comprises at least one pair of opposed electrodes, wherein each pair of opposed electrodes comprises a first electrode coupled to the first end of at least one spaced carbon fiber strip and a second electrode coupled to the second end of at least one spaced carbon fiber strip.

14. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the heating panel further comprises a plurality of electrical wires that are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced electrodes and the control assembly.

15. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein each electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips such that the longitudinal axis of each respective electrode is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes.

16. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein each electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips such that the longitudinal axis of each respective electrode is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each other electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes, and wherein the longitudinal axes of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of spaced electrodes.

17. A method for heating a structure having an exposed outer surface, comprising:
forming a heating panel comprising:
a plurality of carbon fiber strips, each carbon fiber strip of the plurality of carbon fiber strips being spaced apart from adjacent carbon fiber strips within the panel and having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis extending between the opposed first and second ends; and
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes being spaced apart from other electrodes within the panel, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of spaced electrodes is electrically coupled to each respective

Assignees

• Univ Of Alaska Anchorage
• Univ Houston System

Inventors

• Yang Zhaohui
• Yang Ting
• Song Gangbing
• Singla Mithun
• Chang Christiana

Classifications

• H05B3/145

  Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite · CPC title

• G05D23/1934

  each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means · CPC title

• F24D2200/08

  Electric heater · CPC title

• H05B2203/026

  Heaters specially adapted for floor heating · CPC title

• H05B3/286

  the insulating material being an organic material, e.g. plastic · CPC title