Provided is an on-line ice-melting apparatus. The apparatus is configured for melting the ice on a three-phase line. The apparatus includes an adjustable reactor, a grounding transformer, a controller, and an auxiliary circuit. The grounding transformer, the adjustable reactor, the auxiliary circuit, and a line of any phase of the three-phase line form a first control loop. The adjustable reactor includes a working winding, a control winding, and a short-circuit winding. The working winding is connected between the grounding transformer and the auxiliary circuit. The controller is electrically connected to the control winding and the short-circuit winding separately.

Apparatus and method to prevent water spigot freezing, which utilizes a mounting collar to engage a discharge spout of a spigot, an incandescent lamp holder that locates the lamp within the discharge spout, and an intrinsically safe low voltage power supply, which may utilize a battery or utility power, to thereby couple thermal energy from the incandescent lamp into the spigot.

Provided are a heating film that can be manufactured via a simple manufacturing process and that excels in environmental resistance, a lens comprising the heating film, and an in-vehicle camera comprising the lens. The manufacturing method for a heating film for heating a lens comprises a supplying step for supplying a film raw material containing a carbon filler, a binder resin, and a solvent, in a heated state or a room temperature state according to a supply thickness of the film raw material.

An anti-icing structure is for a charging door for a vehicle where the charging door is rotatably installed to an inlet housing with a charging inlet module to selectively open the charging inlet module. The anti-icing structure includes: a door inner cover hingedly connected to the inlet housing through a hinge member at a position corresponding to an opening portion formed in the inlet housing to open the charging inlet module; a door outer cover connected to the outer surface of the door inner cover; and a heating assembly installed between an edge portion of the outer surface of the door inner cover and an edge portion of the inner side of the door outer cover.

An apparatus and method for melting snow and/or ice on a vehicle comprises a precipitation sensor, a surface temperature sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, a heater, and a programmable controller. The programmable controller comprises a memory unit and a processor to store and execute a cut-off surface temperature Tc, and program modules, respectively. A heater control module is configured to deactivate the heater based on the surface temperature being greater than the cut-off surface temperature. The heater could be an electric heater and a hydronic heater. The electric heater is electrically coupled to at least any one of, an alternator, an onboard power system, and a remote power source, via a relay. Further, the heater control module is configured to activate the heater based on an ambient temperature being lower than freezing point of water and precipitation being present outside the vehicle, thereby melting snow and/or ice on the vehicle.

A carbon allotrope element includes a carbon allotrope layer formed from a carbon allotrope material impregnated with a dielectric resin and having a first surface. The carbon allotrope element further includes a first bus bar in communication with the first surface, and a second bus bar in communication with the first surface and non-adjacent to the first bus bar. The first surface includes a layer of the dielectric resin and a plurality of abraded regions, and each of the first and second bus bars is in communication with one of the plurality of abraded regions of the first surface.

Example embodiments described herein involve reducing the formation of ice on external modules by incorporating a heater within the module. The system may include a microphone module for an autonomous vehicle. The microphone module may include a housing and a microphone inside an opening of the housing. The system may further include a cover abutting the opening of the housing. The cover may enclose the microphone within the housing and seal the opening of the housing. The system may also include a heater adjacent to the opening of the housing and configured to prevent ice from forming over the opening. The heater may at least partially surround the opening.

A multilayer heating structure for controlling ice accumulation on a surface of an aircraft includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) heater. The heater includes: a CNT layer; a first encapsulation layer disposed on a first side of the CNT layer formed of a first encapsulation layer thermoplastic material; and a second encapsulation layer disposed on a second side of the CNT layer formed of a second encapsulation layer thermoplastic material.

A system for heating an aircraft surface having a thermally disadvantaged zone includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) sheet heating element having a power inlet configured to receive power from an external electrical power source and provide it to the CNT sheet heating element that extends across the thermally disadvantaged zone. The CNT sheet heating element is configured and arranged such upon application of power from the external electrical power source to the CNT sheet heating element, the CNT sheet heating element produces a first heat output in a first zone and a second heat output in the thermally disadvantaged zone with the second heat output being greater than the first heat output.

A system for controlling ice accumulation on a surface of an aircraft, the system includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) heater comprising: a CNT layer; a first encapsulation layer disposed on a first side of the CNT layer formed of a first encapsulation layer thermoplastic material; and a second encapsulation layer disposed on a second side of the CNT layer formed of a second encapsulation layer thermoplastic material. The system also includes a fore composite structure that includes a fore composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater, an aft composite structure that includes an aft composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater and a sensor layer disposed between the CNT heater and the one of the fore and aft composite structures.