SLOTTED AUTOREGULATING HEATER

Abstract: Designation of specific heating zones and increase in minimum resistance relative to prior heaters of the type to which the present invention pertains is achieved, together with flexibility or bendability, if desired, by slotting the outer conductor of the heater. Additional flexibility is also achieved by confining the high mu material only to those regions of the device where heating is desired, the unslotted regions.

Description: The present invention relates to autoregulating Curie temperature heaters and more particularly to autoregulating Curie temperature heaters in which control of zones of heating and at least partial control of resistance is provided. In U.S.-A-4,256,945 of Carter and Krumme, there is described an autoregulating electric heater having a laminated structure; one lamina of which has high magnetic permeability and high resistance and another lamina of which is non-magnetic and has a low resistance (such as copper) and is in electrical contact and, therefore, thermal contact with the first lamina. This structure is adapted to be connected across a constant current, a.c. source such that the layers are in a sense in parallel across the source. Due to skin effect, the current is initially confined to the high magnetic permeability, high resistance layer so that P = KR₁, where P is power, K is I² which is a constant, and R is the effective resistance of the permeable material at high current concentrations. The dissipation of power heats the layer until it approaches its Curie temperature. The permeability of the lamina decreases towards the level of the second layer, copper for instance, at about its Curie temperature. The current is no longer confined to the high resistivity first lamina by the magnetic properties of the first lamina, and spreads into the copper layer; the resistance to the current drops materially, the power consumed, P = KR₂ where R₂ « R₁ is greatly reduced and the heating effect is reduced to a level that maintains the device at or near the Curie temperature. The device thus normally autoregulates over a narrow temperature range about the Curie temperature. The current source employed in the aforesaid patent is typically a high frequency source, for instance, 8 to 20 MHz to insure that the current is confined to the thin, high resistivity, magnetic layer until the Curie temperature of the magnetic material is attained. Specifically, the maximum regulation is achieved when the thickness of the magnetic layer is of the order of one skin depth at the frequency of operation. Under these circumstances, the maximum change in effective resistance of the structure is achieved at or about the Curie temperature. This fact can be demonstrated by reference to the equation for the skin depth in a monolithic, i.e., non-laminar magnetic structure: where ρ is the resistivity of the material in ohm-cms, µ is relative magnetic permeability and  is frequency of the current. The field falls off in accordance with e -x where x is thickness/skin depth. Accordingly, in a monolithic structure, by calculation, 63.2% of the current is confined to one skin depth in the high mu material. In the region of the Curie temperature, where µ = 1, the current spreads into a region If mu was originally equal to 200 (200-1000 being common), the skin depth in the region at the Curie temperature increases by the square root of 200; i.e., the skin depth in the monolithic structure is now 14.14 times greater than with µ= 200. The same type of reasoning concerning the skin effect may be applied to the two layer laminar structure in the aforesaid patent. Below the Curie temperature, the majority of the current flows in the magnetic layer when the thickness of this layer is nominally one skin depth. In the region of the Curie temperature, the majority of the current now flows in the copper and the resistance drops dramatically. If the thickness of this high mu material were greater than two skin depths, the percentage change of current flowing in the high conductivity copper would be less and the resistivity change would not be as dramatic. Similarly, if the thickness of the high mu material were materially less than one skin depth, the percentage of current flowing in the high resistivity material at a temperature less than the Curie temperature would be less so that the change of resistance at the Curie temperature would again not be as dramatic. The region of 1.0 to perhaps 1.8 skin depths of high mu material is preferred. As exact relationship for the two layer case is quite complex. The basic mathematical formulas for surface impedance from which expressions can be obtained for the ratio of the maximum resistance, R max , below the Curie temperature, to the minimum resistance, R min , above the Curie temperature, are given in Section 5.19, pp. 298-303 of the standard reference, "Fields and Waves in Communications Electronics", 3rd Edition, by S. Ramo, J.R. Winnery, and T. VanDuzer, published by John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1965. Although the theory described in the above reference is precise only for the case of flat layers, it is still accurate enough for all practical applications in which the skin depth is substantially less than the radius of curvature. Difficulty may arise in such devices when the Curie temperature is achieved due to spread of the current and/or magnetic flux into adjacent regions outside of the device, particularly if the device is located close to sensitive electrical components. In US-A-4701587, there is described a mechanism for preventing high frequency field generated in the heated device from radiating into the regions adjacent the device. This effect is accomplished by insuring that the copper or other material of high conductivity is sufficiently thick, several skin depths at the frequency of the source, to prevent such radiation and electrical field activity. This feature is important in many applications of the device such as a soldering iron where electromagnetic fields may induce relatively large currents in sensitive circuit components which may destroy such components. As indicated above, the magnetic field in a simple, single layer, i.e., monolithic structure, falls off as e -x so that at three skin depths, the field is 4.9% of maximum, at five skin depths, it is 0.67%, and at ten skin depths, the field is .005% of maximum. For some uses, thicknesses of three skin depths are satisfactory although at least five are preferred and in some cases ten or more may be required with some highly sensitive devices in the vicinity of large heating currents. The devices of the aforesaid patent specifications are operative for their intended purposes when connected to a suitable supply, but a drawback is the cost of the high frequency power supply. Where only a very low field may be permitted to radiate from the device, the frequency of the source is preferably maintained quite high, for instance, in the megahertz region, to be able to employ copper or other non-magnetic material having reasonable thicknesses. In accordance with the invention of US-A-4695713, a relatively low frequency constant current source may be employed as a result of fabricating the normally non-magnetic, low resistivity layer from a high permeability, high Curie temperature material. Thus, the device comprises a high permeability, high resistivity first layer adjacent the current return path and a high permeability, preferably low resistivity second layer remote from the return path; the second layer having a higher Curie temperature than the first-mentioned layer. As used herein, the term "high magnetic permeability" refers to material having permeabilities greater than paramagnetic materials, i.e., ferromagnetic materials, although permeabilities of 100 or more are preferred for most applications. The theory of operation underlying the invention of the aforesaid US-A-4695713 is that by using a high permeability, high Curie temperature material as the low resistivity layer, the skin depth of the current in this second layer is such as to confine the current to quite a thin layer even at low frequencies thereby essentially insulating the outer surfaces electrically and magnetically but not thermally with a low resistivity layer of manageable thickness. The second layer is preferably formed of a low resistivity material, but this is not essential. An example of a device employing two high mu laminae utilises a layer of Alloy 42 having a resistivity of about 70-80 micro-ohms-cm, a permeability about 200, and a Curie temperature of approximately 300° centigrade. A second layer is formed of carbon steel having a resistivity of about 10 micro-ohms-cm, a permeability of 1000, and a Curie temperature of about 760° centigrade. The skin depths, using a 60 Hz supply are .1" (2.5mm) for Alloy 42 and .025" (.63mm) for carbon steel. An example of a practical 60 Hz heater based on the above may employ a coaxial heater consisting of a .25" (6.3mm) diameter cylindrical or tubular copper conductor (the "return" conductor), a thin layer (perhaps .002 in (.05mm) thickness) of insulation, followed by the temperature sensitive magnetic alloy having a permeability of 400 and a thickness of 0.1" (2.5mm), and finally an outer jacket of steel having a permeability of 1000 and a thickness of 0.1" (2.5mm). The overall heater diameter would be .65" (16.5mm). If the heater is used in a situation requiring 5 watts per foot (16.4 W/m) of heater length for, for instance, protection of a liquid against freezing, the total length of the heater is 1000 feet (305 metres), the resistance of the heater will be 1.96 ohms. The current will be 50 amperes, and the voltage at the generator end will be 140 volts at temperatures somewhat below the Curie temperature of the temperature sensitive magnetic alloy on the inside of the outer pipe. If there were substantial changes in the electrical resistance due to variations of the thermal load, the required voltage must vary in order to maintain constant current. Such a supply provides current at costs considerably less than a constant current supply at 8-20 MHz. The power regulation ratios (AR) in such a device, 2:1 to 4:1, are not as high as with the device of US-A-4256945 with a resistivity difference of about 10:1, but the AR difference may be reduced by using materials of higher and lower resistivities for the low Curie temperature and high Curie temperature materials, respectively. Also, a high mu, relatively low resistivity material such as iron or low carbon steel may be employed to further increase the power regulation ratio. In accordance with the invention of EP-A-0110692, autoregulating power ratios of 6:1 to 7:1 are attained while retaining the ability to utilise low frequency supplies without producing unacceptable levels of field radiation. The objects of the invention are achieved by providing a region of high conductivity at the interface of the two members having high permeability as set forth in US-A-4695713. The material in the interface region may be copper, for instance, or other highly conductive material. The material may appear as a separate layer, a sandwich of magnetic, non-magnetic and magnetic material or may be bonded to the high and/or low Curie temperature, ferromagnetic layers at the interface to provide a low resistivity, interface region. Typical thicknesses of the sandwich construction at 1 KHz are 0.03" (0.76mm) for both the low and high Curie temperature ferromagnetic materials, respectively, and .010" (0.25mm) for the copper layer. In operation, as the Curie temperature of the first layer is approached and its permeability rapidly decreases, the current spreads into the copper layer and into the second magnetic layer. The total resistance of the structure, due to the presence of the copper, drops dramatically providing a high autoregulating ratio. Also, most of the current is confined to the copper layer and only a small percentage penetrates into the second magnetic layer. In consequence, this latter layer need be only 3 to 5 skin depths thick to effect virtually complete shielding of the device. Thus, the object of a large autoregulating power ratio in a relatively small device using a low frequency source is achieved. By a low frequency is meant a source in the range of 50 Hz to 10,000 Hz although 50 Hz-8000 Hz is fully adequate. With autoregulating ratios of 6:1 and 7:1, the heating variations below and above the Curie temperature are quite large so that the apparatus may respond rapidly to thermal load variations and thus maintain accurate temperature regulation in a small device operating at low frequency. The above devices are on the whole, relatively stiff, and heating is uniform throughout the device. In addition, due to the outer conductor being of low or relatively low resistance, it is often costly and usually involves the use of cumbersome matching components to match the heater to the power source. In our WO85/00263 there is described an autoregulating heater in the form of a multi-layer strap comprising a current return conductor surrounded by a layer of insulation with a high mu material disposed along one surface only of the insulating layer. The structure is surrounded by an outer layer of electrically-conductive material which is transversely slotted to restrict current flow to the unslotted regions. According to the present invention, there is provided a Curie temperature autoregulating heater in the form of a multi-layer flexible elongated strap comprising outermost layers of electrically-conducting material at least one of which is slotted transversely, an inner electrical conductor between said outermost layers to provide a current return path, insulating layers between said inner return conductor and said outermost layers, and a length of ferromagnetic material between one of said insulating layers and the respective outermost layer, the ferromagnetic length and the inner return conductor being electrically connected in series, characterised by the provision of at least one further layer or length of ferromagnetic or electrically-conductive material contiguous with the inner surface of one of the outermost layers. In one form, there may be provided, co-planar with the ferromagnetic length, one or more further ferromagnetic lengths of different Curie temperature to define different zones of heating. This technique readily lends itself to defining zones of different temperatures by employing flat strips of high mu material laid end to end along the heater with various of the strips having different Curie temperatures. Regions of and degree of heating may be controlled by various methods. First, as just mentioned, flat high mu members of different Curie temperatures may be disposed at different locations along the device, thus establishing different autoregulating temperatures at these different zones. Further, the slotted surface may be unslotted in some regions permitting the current to be at least partially diverted from the ferromagnetic material in such regions thereby preventing the device from reaching Curie temperature in such a region or simply decreasing resistance in that region. Partial reduction in slotting (shorter slots) may be employed to divert sufficient current to increase the time to reach autoregulating temperatures. The heater may be made such that it depends for autoregulation on simply increasing the cross-sectional area of the ferromagnetic material in which current flows. This approach may be achieved by employing a high mu material of a thickness of three or more (depending upon the type of heater) skin depths at Curie temperature. The outer layer can be stainless steel or other material of high stain resistance and/or good thermal conductivity. The slots in the surface of the outer conductor may also be employed to provide appropriate bend areas where a strap must go around sharp corners. Arrangements according to the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of heater in accordance with our WO85/00263. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view in cross-section of a modification of the heater of Figure 2 according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a view in cross-section of a multi-temperature heater in accordance with the present invention. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a heater employing various arrays of slots to define different heating patterns. Figure 6 is a view in cross-section taken along section line 6-6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the use of a slot to enhance bendability of a heater. Figure 8 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of the present invention. Referring now specifically to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated one embodiment of a device described generally in our WO85/00263. A current return path is provided by an inner flat elongated conductor 2 usually of copper. The conductor 2 is surrounded by an insulating layer 4 and a layer 6 of ferromagnetic material is arrayed along the bottom of the structure. An outer covering 8 is also provided to shield the structure, the material of the outer covering, to some extent, being determined by the intended use of the device, as will be discussed subsequently. The outer covering 8 is provided with a plurality of closely spaced transverse slots 10 which in the form illustrated extend across the top of the device as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and down both sides thereof leaving a continuous web 12 of material along the bottom of the device juxtaposed to the ferromagnetic layer 6. In operation, the current, when applied, can flow only in the bottom region, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, of the outer layer 8. Below Curie temperature, the current is primarily confined to the layer 6 of ferromagnetic material. As the temperature of the heater, and more particularly of the layer 6, approaches Curie temperature, the current in layer 6 spreads and the resistance of the heater drops. The heater of Figure 2 may operate in one of two possible modes depending upon the thickness of the layer 6. If the layer 6 is at least five skin depths thick above Curie temperature, then virtually all of the current remains in the layer 6 but is not essentially confined to a skin depth of 1 to 1.8 below Curie temperature. The result is a decrease in resistance due to a material change in current density. Specifically, if the mu of the ferromagnetic material falls from 400 below Curie temperature to 1 above Curie temperature, then skin depth changes by a factor of 20 (the square root of 400). The resistance, however, still remains relatively high since the typical resistivity of ferromagnetic material such as Alloy 42 is about 75 x 10⁻⁶ ohm-cm while copper's is about 2 x 10⁻⁶ ohm-cm. If the heater is of the type set forth in US-A-4256945, then the ferromagnetic layer 6 would be 1 to 1.8 skin depth thick below Curie temperature. Upon approach of the temperature to Curie temperature the current would spread out of the layer 6 into the lower wall 12 of the outer shell 8. If the outer shell is copper, then a material change in resistance occurs, but the resistance is still substantial since current flows only in region 12; the slots 10 blocking flow in all other regions. In the device illustrated, if the layer 6 is at least 5 skin depths thick above Curie temperature, the resistance characteristics of the outer layer become of less concern and various materials, such as stainless steel and aluminium, may be employed. An outer layer of any described material may also be employed with the device of Figure 3. Referring specifically to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, a device is illustrated that constitutes a modification according to the present invention of the device of Figure 2. Reference numerals with primes in Figure 3 designate parts that correspond to those of Figure 2. The difference in the heater of Figure 3 resides in the fact that the ferromagnetic layer 6' is one lamina of a laminated structure including a second layer 14' which may be of copper. Alternatively, the second layer may be a ferromagnetic material as in US-A-4695713 or a second layer of ferromagnetic material in conjunction with a copper layer between the two ferromagnetic layers as in EP-A-0110692. It should be noted that although only two slots 10 are illustrated in Figure 1, in a standard unit the entire length of the heater is slotted at intervals. The use of a thick ferromagnetic layer as opposed to other arrangements is a trade-off between desired resistance, flexibility, desired outer layer and autoregulation ratio but in all events resistance is high and the strap is quite flexible. In a typical device of 200 watts a constant current of approximately 7 amps is provided from a source operating at 13.56 MHz and the dimensions of the parts are as follows: Effective R.F. Resistance at room temperature = 4 ohms Ferromagnetic layer (thick) = 0.7 mils (0.018mm). Ferromagnetic layer (length) - 6.2 inches (15.7cm) Width of Ferromagnetic layer = 160 mils (4mm) It will be noticed in Figure 3, the outer layer 8' is made from a width of material folded about the heater with its elongated edges 16 and 18 brought into virtually abutting engagement. If moisture sealing is required the gap between edges 16 and 18 may be filled with a suitable conductive or non-conductive sealing material. Referring now specifically to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a heater having different temperature zones. The heater comprises outer layers 20 of conductive material, and an inner or current return conductor 22 between layers of insulation 24. Lying between the lower layer of insulating material 24 and the lower outer layer 20, all as viewed in Figure 4, are three longitudinally extending spaced strips 26, 28 and 30 of ferromagnetic materials. Each of the strips has a different Curie temperature and thus each strip defines a zone of a different temperature from each other zone; or alternatively strips 26 and 30 can be the same with strip 28 defining a different temperature. The strips 26, 28 and 30 may also be arranged side by side. Referring now specifically to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a heater of the type illustrated in Figure 3 or Figure 4 but with a slot pattern that provides various different heat distribution and/or resistance effects. The heater, generally designated by the reference numeral 32, has various slots for controlling the rate of heating to Curie temperature. The rate of heating of any heater is determined by the relationship between the rate of application of power and the rate of dissipation of heat by all of the three modes of heat dissipation from a surface, convection, conduction, and radiation. Heating up to the Curie temperature is determined by the current density in the ferromagnetic layer. In the present case, if the ferromagnetic material subsists only adjacent the lower surface of the heater, then any current path that is not adjacent the ferromagnetic material reduces the current density therein and reduces the rate of heating. As an example, the slot 34 permits current to flow in at least a part of the right side, as viewed in Figure 5, of the outer shell or layer of the heater. Thus, some current is diverted from the ferromagnetic material and the rate of heating to Curie temperature is reduced. Progressively shorter slots 38, 37 and 36 may divert enough current from the ferromagnetic layer so that the heater never achieves Curie temperature, thus establishing a cool or more precisely a cooler zone than adjacent the slot 34. Slots 40 and 42 define a central current flow region 44 which may be employed to further reduce current flow adjacent the ferromagnetic layer. As an alternative, however, ferromagnetic material may be disposed under the region 44 so that heating occurs in this region. In a further alternative arrangement, ferromagnetic material may encircle the heater under the outer layer whereby heating occurs at all locations except where there are slots. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings, a figure taken along section line 6-6 of Figure 5. A return conductor 46 is surrounded by insulation 48, in turn surrounded by a ferromagnetic layer 50 with an outer conductive shell 52. As indicated above, heating occurs at all locations except where there are slots. It should be noted that in all of the heaters illustrated thus far, the current return conductor and the outer conductor, ferromagnetic layer or copper substrate, depending on the type of heater employed, are connected in series with one another across the current source. This is usually accomplished by applying the current to the center and other conductors at one end of the device and connecting these conductors together at the other end of the device. The slots provided according to the present invention may also be employed to permit a heater to bend about a sharp corner. Referring specifically to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a rectangular workpiece 54 that is to be heated by a heater 56. The heater 56 is provided with a slot 58 so that the heater may come across the top of the workpiece 54, bent over the upper right corner 60 of piece 54 and maintain contact with vertical surface 62, all as illustrated in Figure 7. Thus, the heater is rendered readily bendable at the slot while maintaining the rest of it relatively rigid so that good contact is maintained between heater and workpiece at all locations. Referring now specifically to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a heater employing a 45° slot to permit right angle folding of a strap. A region 64 of strap 66 is slotted on its upper surface as at 68 to provide heating along the lower surface. The lower surface is provided with a 45° slot that permits a right angle fold 70 of the strap. The upper and lower surfaces of the folded length 72 of the strap may be slotted to permit heating of the lower or upper surface, the strap being flexible enough to permit the lower surface length 72 to contact the same surface as region 64. The slots in region 72 could be arrayed along the upper rather than the lower surface of the strip, as viewed in Figure 8, so that heating remains along the upper surface. It should be apparent that the fold 70 could be other than 90° by changing the slot angle on the lower surface from 45° to some other desired angle. A slot of 30° to the longitudinal axis produces a fold of 60° while a slot of 60° will produce a fold of 120°. As to the slots 68, they have been shown in all figures as perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strap. These slots may also be angled to produce a helix rather than an annulus. The angle may be chosen to produce a desired pitch when the strap is to be wrapped around a pipe, for instance, to keep it from freezing. The pitch desirably prevents overlap of adjacent turns of the helix and in fact may be great enough to define a permissible spacing between turns as determined by the internal temperature required in the pipe and the ambient temperature.

Claims: A Curie temperature autoregulating heater in the form of a multi-layer flexible elongated strap comprising outermost layers (8',20,52) of electrically-conducting material at least one of which is slotted transversely, an inner electrical conductor (2',22,46) between said outermost layers to provide a current return path, insulating layers (4',24,48) between said inner return conductor and said outermost layers, and a length of ferromagnetic material (6',28,50) between one of said insulating layers and the respective outermost layer, the ferromagnetic length and the inner return conductor being electrically connected in series, characterised by the provision of at least one further layer or length (14';26,30;50) of ferromagnetic or electrically-conductive material contiguous with the inner surface of one of the outermost layers. A heater according to Claim 1, wherein said further layer is a layer (14') of electrically conductive material lying between said ferromagnetic length (6') and the adjacent outermost layer. A heater according to Claim 1, wherein said further layer is a second ferromagnetic length (50) lying between the insulating layer and the outermost layer at the opposite side of the inner return conductor to said first ferromagnetic length. A heater according to Claim 3, wherein said first and second ferromagnetic lengths are integral parts of a ferromagnetic layer entirely surrounding the inner conductor and insulating layers. A heater according to Claim 1, wherein co-planar with the ferromagnetic length (28) there are one or more further ferromagnetic lengths (26,30) of different Curie temperature to define different zones of heating. A heater according to any preceding claim, wherein transverse slots (4) at intervals along the length are provided in the outermost layer that is most remote from the ferromagnetic layer. A heater according to Claim 6, wherein the outermost layers are integral parts of an enclosing outer case of generally rectangular cross-section that substantially entirely surrounds the strap and at least some of the slots extend across one broad face of the outer case and down the two narrow faces. A heater according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein slots at different positions along the strap extend for different distances across the width of the strap to define a path for current flow having differing cross-sections. A heater according to any of Claims 6 to 8, wherein said slots lie at an angle other than 90° to the direction of length of the strap. A heater according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one transverse slot (58) is provided in an outermost layer at a position along the strap where the strap is required to be bendable.

Inventors: KRUMME, JOHN F.
Applicants: METCAL INC.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: H05B6
IPC codes: H05B3, H05B6