Systems and methods for heating concrete structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829202-B2
Application number	US-201314024152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for heating concrete structures to either prevent the build-up of freezing precipitation or eliminate freezing precipitation on a top surface of the concrete structures. The system includes a heating assembly integrally formed with a concrete structure to apply thermal energy to the top surface of the concrete structure. Optionally, the heating assembly includes heating elements formed of carbon fiber tape. Following formation of the concrete structure, the heating assembly is configured for unified movement with the concrete structure. 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 concrete structure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A heating panel for heating a concrete structure, the concrete structure having a top surface, the 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, 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; 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 in parallel to the plurality of spaced electrodes to form a panel structure, wherein the panel structure has a thickness extending along a vertical 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 vertical axis,
wherein the heating panel is configured to be integrally formed within the concrete structure to apply thermal energy to the top surface of the concrete structure,
wherein, following formation of the concrete structure, the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips and the plurality of spaced electrodes are configured for unified movement with the concrete structure, and
wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are configured to restrict movement of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips, thereby maintaining electrical coupling between the plurality of spaced electrodes and the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips.

2. 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.

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

4. 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, 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.

5. A heating system comprising:
a concrete structure having a concrete layer and an insulation layer, wherein the concrete layer has a bottom surface and an opposed top surface, and wherein the insulation layer surrounds the concrete layer such that the bottom surface of the concrete layer contacts the insulation layer and the top surface of the concrete layer is exposed; 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, 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; 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 spaced carbon fiber strips, wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips are connected in parallel to the plurality of spaced electrodes to form a panel structure, wherein the panel structure has a thickness extending along a vertical 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 vertical axis,
wherein the heating panel is integrally formed within the concrete structure to apply thermal energy to the top surface of the concrete layer of the concrete structure, wherein the concrete layer comprises a first portion positioned below the heating panel and a second portion formed over the heating panel to embed the heating assembly within the concrete layer,
wherein the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips and the plurality of spaced electrodes are configured for unified movement with the concrete structure, and
wherein the plurality of spaced electrodes are configured to restrict movement of the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips, thereby maintaining electrical coupling between the plurality of spaced electrodes and the plurality of spaced carbon fiber strips.

6. The heating system of claim 5 , 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.

7. The heating system of claim 5 , further comprising a control assembly operatively coupled to the heating panel, wherein the control assembly is configured to selectively power the heating panel, and wherein the control assembly is configured for remote operation.

8. The heating system of claim 7 , wherein the control assembly comprises a power meter, wherein the power meter is configured to produce an output signal indicative of the energy consumption of the heating panel.

9. The heating system of claim 8 , wherein the control assembly further comprises at least one temperature sensor, wherein each temperature sensor of the at least one temperature sensor is configured to produce an output signal indicative of the temperature of the concrete structure.

10. The heating system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor of the control assembly is coupled to the heating panel.

11. The heating system of claim 9 , wherein the control assembly comprises a data acquisition system, wherein the data acquisition system is operatively coupled to the power meter and the at least one temperature sensor, and wherein the data acquisition system is configured to receive the output signals from the power meter and the at least one temperature sensor.

12. A method for heating a concrete structure having a top surface, comprising:
integrally forming a heating panel within the concrete structure, the 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, wherein

Assignees

• Univ Of Alaska Anchorage
• Univ Houston System

Inventors

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

Classifications

• E01C11/265

  Embedded electrical heating elements (in floors F24D13/00); Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H05B2203/014

  Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54 · 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

• H05B3/145

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