Multi-functional composite structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368401-B2
Application number	US-201514727060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A multi-functional composite system, the multi-functional composite system comprising a core, a plurality of structural composite fiber layers, a matrix material, a composite conductor assembly, the composite conductor assembly having one or more conductors disposed between two or more insulating layers, and an electric power source electronically coupled with said composite conductor assembly, the electric power source is configured to pass electric current through at least one of said one or more conductors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-functional composite system comprising:
a composite aircraft structure having a first composite fiber layer and a second composite fiber layer, each of the first composite fiber layer and the second composite fiber layer having a matrix material;
a composite conductor assembly sandwiched between the first composite fiber layer and the second composite fiber layer, the composite conductor assembly having two or more graphene conductors disposed between two or more insulating layers, wherein the two or more graphene conductors are arranged to define a wide area heater mat configured to generate a predetermined heat profile that defines a first region to yield a first temperature and a second region to yield a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature,
wherein the two or more graphene conductors comprises a first graphene conductor at the first region and a second graphene conductor at the second region that are independently controllable;

an electric power source electronically coupled with said composite conductor assembly to pass electric current through at least one of said two or more graphene conductors, wherein said at least one of said two or more graphene conductors is coupled to the electric power source as a resistive load and configured to generate heat when an electric current is passed through said at least one of said two or more graphene conductors,
wherein the electric power source is configured to selectively pass the electric current through the first graphene conductor, the second graphene conductor, or both the first graphene conductor and the second graphene conductor;

one or more embedded sensors in thermal contact with the first composite fiber layer or the second composite fiber layer; and
a control system operably connected to the electric power source and to the one or more embedded sensors,
wherein the control system is configured to monitor and control dynamically one or more parameters of the wide area heater mat at each of the first region and the second region as a function of feedback received from at least one of the one or more embedded sensors.

2. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said two or more graphene conductors generates heat for de-icing or anti-icing the composite aircraft structure.

3. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the first region is positioned at a leading edge of a flight surface.

4. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined heat profile is configured to direct heat to the first region by reducing a resistance of a graphene conductor, or portion thereof, positioned at the first region.

5. The multi-functional composite system of claim 4 , wherein the resistance of the graphene conductor is reduced by increasing an amount of conductive material at the first region.

6. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined heat profile is configured to direct heat to the first region by configuring an orientation and geometry of the two or more graphene conductors relative to a flow of electricity through the two or more graphene conductors.

7. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said two or more graphene conductors is a carbon nanotube material.

8. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two or more graphene conductors ingresses or egresses the multi-functional composite system while maintaining electrical isolation between the composite aircraft structure and the two or more graphene conductors.

9. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the composite conductor assembly is galvanically or thermally matched to the composite aircraft structure.

10. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the composite conductor assembly further comprises a shielding material.

11. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two or more insulating layers comprises Poly Ether Ketone Ketone or etched, bondable polytetrafluoroethylene.

12. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the composite aircraft structure and the composite conductor assembly are co-cured.

13. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more embedded sensors comprises a temperature sensor and the control system is configured to maintain a temperature of the wide area heater mat, the first composite fiber layer, or the second composite fiber layer at or below a predetermined temperature.

14. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the composite conductor assembly further comprises nickel chemical vapor deposition (“NiCVD”) conductors disposed between the two or more insulating layers.

15. The multi-functional composite system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more graphene conductors comprises at least two data conductors that operatively couple at least one of the one or more embedded sensors to the control system.

16. A heater system for heating a composite aircraft component, the heater system comprising:
a composite structure to pass a structural load, the composite structure having a first composite fiber layer and a second composite fiber layer, each of the first composite fiber layer and the second composite fiber layer having a matrix material;
a plurality of graphene conductors disposed between two sheets of insulating layers, wherein the plurality of graphene conductors are arranged to define a wide area heater mat configured to generate a predetermined heat profile that defines a first region to yield a first temperature and a second region to yield a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature,
wherein the plurality of graphene conductors comprises a first graphene conductor at the first region and a second graphene conductor at the second region that are independently controllable;

an adhesive resin to bond the plurality of graphene conductors and the two sheets of insulating layers into a heater assembly such that (i) the plurality of graphene conductors is electrically isolated and (ii) structural loads can be passed through said heater assembly, wherein the heater assembly is sandwiched between the first composite fiber layer and the second composite fiber layer;
two or more electrical connectors electronically coupled to one or more of said plurality of graphene conductors, the two or more electrical connectors being configured such that said one or more of said plurality of graphene conductors function as a resistive load when an electric current is applied across said plurality of said plurality of graphene conductors, thereby generating heat for de-icing or anti-icing the composite aircraft component;
an electric power source configured to selectively pass the electric current through the first graphene conductor, the second graphene conductor, or both the first graphene conductor and the second graphene conductor; and
one or more embedded sensors in thermal contact with the first composite fiber layer or the second composite fiber layer, wherein the one or more embedded sensors are configured to operatively couple with a control system that is configured to monitor and control dynamically one or more parameters of the wide area heater mat at each of the first region and the second region as a function of feedback received from at least one of the one or more embedded sensors.

17. The heater system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of said plurality

Assignees

• Aurora Flight Sciences Corp

Inventors

• Wen Ed
• Cottrell Dan
• Ehrmantraut Adam
• Blehar Mark
• Kordonowy David

Classifications

• H05B2214/04

  Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology · CPC title

• B64C1/12

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• Y10T29/49085

  Thermally variable · CPC title

• Y02T50/54

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic