Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
Textile heaters are made from knitted conductive yarns integrated into their fabric, making them stretchable, washable, breathable and suitable for close-to-skin wear. However, the non-zero resistance in the lead wires causes non-uniform power distribution, which presents a design challenge. To addr...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-09-01
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| Series: | Thermo |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/4/23 |
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| Summary: | Textile heaters are made from knitted conductive yarns integrated into their fabric, making them stretchable, washable, breathable and suitable for close-to-skin wear. However, the non-zero resistance in the lead wires causes non-uniform power distribution, which presents a design challenge. To address this, the electrical performance of the heaters is modeled as an n-ladder resistor network. By using the finite difference method, simple, closed-form expressions are derived for networks with their power source connected to input terminals <i>A</i><sub>1</sub><i>B</i><sub>1</sub> and <i>A</i><sub>1</sub><i>B<sub>n</sub></i>, respectively. The exact results are then used to derive approximations and design criteria. The solutions for the ladder networks presented in this paper apply to a wider class of physical problems, such as irrigation systems, transformer windings, and cooling fins. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-7264 |