Self-regulating packed-powder resistive heater

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/252,148 filed 6 Nov. 2015, titled “Self-Regulating Packed Powder Resistive Heater” (Navy Case #103640).

The United States Government has ownership rights in this invention. Licensing and technical inquiries may be directed to the Office of Research and Technical Applications, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific, Code 72120, San Diego, Calif., 92152; voice (619) 553-5118; ssc_pac_t2@navy.mil. Reference Navy Case Number 103540.

This invention relates to the field of resistive heaters.

Disclosed herein is a heater comprising an outer tube, an inner tube, a conductive powder, and two electrodes. The outer tube has a first thermal expansion coefficient and the inner tube has a second thermal expansion coefficient that is less than the first thermal expansion coefficient. The inner tube is disposed concentrically with the outer tube such that there is a space between the inner and outer tubes where the conductive powder is disposed. The two electrodes are in electrical contact with the conductive powder such that when a potential is introduced between the electrodes, the conductive powder functions as a resistive heater whose resistance changes with temperature based on different degrees of thermal expansion of the inner and outer tubes.

The heater disclosed herein may be used in a method for heating comprising the following steps. The first step involves providing the concentric inner and outer tubes having different thermal expansion coefficients. The next step provides for packing the space between the inner and outer tubes with the conductive powder. The next step provides for providing the two electrodes in electrical contact with the conductive powder. The next step provides for introducing a potential across the electrodes such that the conductive powder functions as a resistive heater whose resistance changes with temperature based on different degrees of thermal expansion of the inner and outer tubes.

Throughout the several views, like elements are referenced using like references. The elements in the figures are not drawn to scale and some dimensions are exaggerated for clarity.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively perspective and cross-sectional views of a resistive heater.

FIG. 2 is a graphical plot showing the change in volume of conductive powder over a temperature range of approximately 1500° C.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are respectively perspective and cross-sectional views of a resistive heater.

The disclosed methods and systems below may be described generally, as well as in terms of specific examples and/or specific embodiments. For instances where references are made to detailed examples and/or embodiments, it should be appreciated that any of the underlying principles described are not to be limited to a single embodiment, but may be expanded for use with any of the other methods and systems described herein as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise stated specifically.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrations of a self-regulating, packed-powder, resistive heater, hereinafter referred to as resistive heater 10 that automatically and gradually reduces the input power of the heater as the temperature increases. FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively perspective and cross-sectional views of the resistive heater 10 . Resistive heater 10 comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of an outer tube 12 , and inner tube 14 , a conductive powder 16 , and first and second electrodes 18 and 20 . The resistance of the resistive heater 10 changes with temperature based on differing thermal expansion coefficients of the outer tube 12 , and inner tube 14 . The outer tube 12 has a thermal expansion coefficient that is larger than the thermal expansion coefficient of the inner tube 14 . The outer and inner tubes 12 and 14 are concentrically disposed with respect to each other. The diameters of the outer and inner tubes 12 and 14 are such that there is a space between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . The conductive powder 16 is packed into the space between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . The first electrode 18 in the embodiment of the resistive heater 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a conductive metal coating on the inner surface of the outer tube 12 . The second electrode 20 in the embodiment of the resistive heater 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a conductive metal coating on the outer surface of the inner tube 14 . Both electrodes 18 and 20 are in electrical contact with the conductive powder 16 such that when a potential is introduced between the electrodes 18 and 20 , the conductive powder 16 functions as a resistive heater whose resistance changes with temperature based on different degrees of thermal expansion of the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . The space between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 may be sealed with ceramic end caps 22 .

The conductive powder 16 functions as a variable resistor. Heat is generated as a function of the degree to which the conductive powder 16 resists current flow. As the heat increases, the inner tube 14 expands at a slower rate than the outer tube 12 which decreases the degree to which the conductive powder 16 is compressed between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . As the conductive powder 16 becomes less compressed its resistivity increases, which in turn decreases the temperature generated by the resistive heater 10 . The heat generated by the resistive heater 10 is proportional to the power (P) dissipated through the device given by the known equation:

Where R is the resistance of the conductive powder 16 packed between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 , I is the current going through the conductive powder 16 , and V is the voltage across the resistive heater 10 (i.e., the voltage difference between the 1 st and 2 nd electrodes 18 and 20 ). If the inner tube 14 has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the outer tube 12 , the resistance of the powder 16 will increase as the tubes get hotter. If the inner tube 14 has a higher thermal expansion coefficient then the outer tube 12 , than the resistance will decrease as the tubes get hotter.

The resistive heater 10 will typically be powered by an approximately-constant-voltage power source (not shown) such that, based on equation (1) above, the resistive heater 10 will generate less heat when the resistance increases. If the power source provides approximately-constant current, the resistive heater 10 will generate more heat when the resistance increases. Most power sources known in the art provide constant peak voltage, either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). Suitable examples of an approximately-constant-voltage power source include, but are not limited to, AC mains electricity, such as is commonly used in households and businesses to power electric devices; and DC battery power.

The inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 may be any ceramic tube having any desired size and/or shape. For example, in the embodiment of the resistive heater 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 are cylinders. However, it is to be understood that the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 are not limited to cylinders, but may have any desired cross-sectional shape and size, and may have any desired length. The conductive powder 16 may be any conductive powder capable of being packed between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . A suitable example of the conductive powder 16 includes, but is not limited to, carbon black. The variation of conductivity with compression of carbon black has been well studied and documented. (See, for example J. Sánchez-González et al., “Electrical conductivity of carbon blacks under compression”/Carbon 43 (2005) 741-747, referred to hereafter as Sánchez-González, which is incorporated by reference herein.)

In operation, the conductive powder 16 between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 forms an analog, negative feedback mechanism that automatically alters the input power of the resistive heater 10 as the temperature of the resistive heater 10 changes. Analog fail safe control systems using negative feedback mechanisms are adherently safer than digital control systems since they do not rely on any other system to function. Thermal fuses and circuit breakers are good examples of such fail safe control systems; however their feedback response is an abrupt shut down when a designated peak condition is reached. In contrast, the resistive heater 10 is a self-regulating heating element whose resistance changes gradually with temperature based on differing thermal expansion coefficients of the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 .

The conductive powder 16 is electrically contacted by the 1 st and 2 nd electrodes 18 and 20 . The volume V between the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 at a temperature T o +ΔT is given by:

V=L o ×(1+Δ T×A )×(π( R o ×(1+Δ T×A )) 2 −π( r o ×(1+Δ T×a )) 2 )  (2)

where L o , R o , and r o , respectively are the length of the outer tube 12 , the inner radius of the outer tube 12 , and the outer radius of the inner tube 14 at temperature T o +ΔT, while A and a are the thermal expansion coefficients of the outer tube 12 and inner tube 14 , respectively. As documented in Sánchez-González, the conductance a of powdered carbon black changes significantly with the change of volume of the powdered carbon. With a constant voltage source V the, heat output power P may be given by P=σV 2 . The change in volume of the resistive heater 10 over a given temperature range can be engineered by choosing the proper materials and dimensions of the conductive powder 16 and the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . Table 1 below gives the coefficients of linear expansion and maximum operating temperature of various ceramic materials that may be used to construct the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 .

FIG. 2 is a graphical plot showing the change in volume of the conductive powder 16 over a temperature range of approximately 1500° C. for an example embodiment of the resistive heater 10 . In this example embodiment, the inner tube 14 is a Cordierite cylinder that has a length of 20.0 cm and an outer diameter of 5.0 cm; and the outer tube 12 is an Alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) cylinder that has a length of 20.0 cm and an inner diameter of 5.1 cm. The resistive heater 10 can operate at very high temperatures (e.g., ˜2000° C.).

FIGS. 3A and 3B are respectively perspective and cross-sectional views of another embodiment of the resistive heater 10 . In this embodiment (i.e., the one shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B ), the first and second electrodes 18 and 20 are annular rings made of conductive material disposed at opposing ends of the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 . The means of connecting the conductive powder 16 to a power source is not limited to the opposing annular ring electrodes shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B or the radially-separated metal coatings shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , but the conductive powder 16 may be connected to the power source by any means known in the art. In another example, the electrodes 18 and 20 may be electrodes submersed in the conductive powder 16 in the space between, and on opposing ends of, the inner and outer tubes 14 and 12 .

From the above description of the resistive heater 10 , it is manifest that various techniques may be used for implementing the concepts of resistive heater 10 without departing from the scope of the claims. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The method/apparatus disclosed herein may be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically claimed and/or disclosed herein. It should also be understood that resistive heater 10 is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of many embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.