Enhanced electrothermal effect of carbon fibrous composites decorated with high conductive carbon nanotube webs

Literature has demonstrated that Carbon Nanotubes(CNTs) can greatly enhance the electrical conductivity and matrix-dominated mechanical properties of fibrous composites. However, electrothermal coupling effect of CNTs on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics(CFRPs) has scarcely been considered. This work prepared and introduced thin and porous CNT webs to the surface or/and interface of a CFRP to enhance its electrothermal properties. The results show that CNT webs can enhance the transverse electrical conductivities of the CFRP by 231%-519% in a current range of 50–150mA, when compared to the base-CFRP. Also, the surface temperature of CNT webs decorated CFRP can be improved by 20.5–32.3℃ within 3min showing a self-heating rate of 6.8–10.8℃/min just with an applied voltage of 20–30V, increased by 152%-177% when compared to the base-CFRP(2.7–3.9℃/min). Also, deicing can be finished within 4–10min with a voltage of 18V and an input power of 246W/m^(2). Moreover, the electrothermal processes nearly have no negative effect on the mechanical properties of the CFRP. The relatively low input power and short response time for deicing make the CNT webs decorated CFRP may be a potential new generation for aeronautical deicing structure.

Influential Factors on Deicing Performance of Electrically Conductive Concrete Pavement

The deicing experiment of carbon fiber reinforced electrically conductive concrete （CFRC） slab was conducted in laboratory at first, then the deicing process of CFRC parement was analyzed by means of finite element method （FEM）. At last, based on the energy conservation law and the computing restdts of finite element method, the influential factors including the setting of electric heating layer, environmental temperature, the thickness of ice, material parameters, and deicing power on deicing performance and energy consumption were discussed.

Experimental Study on Deicing Performance of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Conductive Concrete

Carbon fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC) is a kind of good electrothermal material. When connected to an external power supply, stable and uniform heat suitable for deicing application is generated in the CFRC slab. Electric heating and deicing experiments of carbon fiber reinforced concrete slab were carried out in laboratory, and the effect of the temperature and thickness of ice, the thermal conductivity of CFRC, and power output on deicing performance and energy consumption were investigated. The experimental results indicate that it is an effective method to utilize the thermal energy produced by CFRC slab to deice. The time to melt the ice completely decreases with increasing power output and ice temperature, and increases with increasing thickness of the ice. The energy consumption to melt 2 mm thickness of ice varies approximately linearly from 0.556 to 0.846 kW·h/m2 as the initial temperature ranges from -3℃ to - 18℃. CFRC with good thermal conduction can reduce temperature difference in CFRC slab effectively.