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: Kaspar M. B. Jansen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Thermo
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/4/23
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author Kaspar M. B. Jansen
author_facet Kaspar M. B. Jansen
author_sort Kaspar M. B. Jansen
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-c1d8db06c6214178b5fb2ab6d3acca3c2025-08-20T02:01:14ZengMDPI AGThermo2673-72642024-09-014443344410.3390/thermo4040023Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile HeatersKaspar M. B. Jansen0Department of Sustainable Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, The NetherlandsTextile 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/4/23knitted heaterelectrothermal performanceladder networkequivalent resistance
spellingShingle Kaspar M. B. Jansen
Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
Thermo
knitted heater
electrothermal performance
ladder network
equivalent resistance
title Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
title_full Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
title_fullStr Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
title_full_unstemmed Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
title_short Closed-Form Solutions for Current Distribution in Ladder-Type Textile Heaters
title_sort closed form solutions for current distribution in ladder type textile heaters
topic knitted heater
electrothermal performance
ladder network
equivalent resistance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/4/23
work_keys_str_mv AT kasparmbjansen closedformsolutionsforcurrentdistributioninladdertypetextileheaters