A thermal-electric anti-ice de-ice system with a heating element of flexible graphite bonded to a heat conducting polyurethane. Flexible graphite is a material that can be altered to the thousandths of an inch to produce a heating element with variable watt density. This heating element can then be zoned to produce optimum heat in critical areas of an airfoil or structure.
Potential Commercial Applications:The flexible graphite heating element is of such efficiency, light weight and size as to pose no significant changes in aerodynamic performance to most airfoils and structures, making it suitable for most general aviation aircraft. Significant interest is also present in the helicopter industry with their need for de-ice systems on rotor blades requiring a variable watt density from the root to the tip of the blades.Commercial aircraft will also benefit from the huge weight savings for tail section de-icing with the graphite heater vs. bleed air.
