Running head: CARBON FIBER HEATING UNDERWATER 1

Carbon Fiber Heating Underwater

Progress Report 7

Noah Egan, Alen Jomon, Shahid Khan

Dr. Psaker

March 7th, 2019

CARBON FIBER HEATING UNDERWATER 2

Carbon Fiber Heating Underwater

Objectives: As of March 6th, 2019, we have:

 Completed a full prototype of the heater

 Begun on finalizing the heater and making improvements

 Added a relay switch to the heating pad

Over the past two weeks, we have constructed the heating pad and tested the rate of

heating. The pad was constructed using thermally conductive plastic, carbon fiber tape, glue, and

an iron to seal the carbon fiber in between the pieces of plastic. A temperature sensor was placed

on the pad when the pad was connected to the power source, and the rate of heating was

measured both above water and underwater. Above water, it heated up to 60°C at a rate of

0.04 °C per second. Underwater, it heated up to 25°C at a rate of 0.008 °C per second. This

shows that the heating pad is viable above water, but can only increase comfort, not prevent

hypothermia, underwater. We also used a relay to monitor the temperature and regulate whether

or not the device was on, which would keep it at a desired temperature. This test was successful,

and the temperature was effectively regulated at 45°C. Because the heating pad is finished, the

team has also started to plan the interior of the case, to make it as small as possible.

In the next two weeks, we plan to finalize our designs for the case that holds the

electronic components. We also plan to 3D print this case, and assemble the components inside,

so it can be used to control the temperature of the heating pad.

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Materials and Methods

Materials:

 1 meter of carbon fiber tape

 Copper tape

 DS18B20 Temperature Sensor

 Arduino Uno

 LoggerPro Sensor

 14-gauge stranded copper wire

 Pressure-Sensitive Conductive Sheet (Velostat/Linqstat)

 Four Panasonic Sanyo Li-Ion 3.7 V 3500 mAh

 3D Printed battery case

 Jumper wires

 5V and 3V relay

Procedure

1. First, a meter-long carbon fiber heating tape was cut, and a connection between the

carbon fiber tape and 14-guage copper wire was created using conductive copper tape.

2. Two 20 cm x 24 cm pieces of thermally conductive plastic sheet were cut, and hot glue

was applied on the carbon fiber tape, while preventing different sections of the tape

touching to prevent short circuits.

3. A pocket for the temperature sensor was made (7 cm x 8 cm) by using a conventional

iron and aluminum foil to create a seal around a pocket-shaped piece of plastic sheet.

Then, using the iron, the entire heating pad was sealed through melting the plastic
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together at the edges, and a silicone sealant was placed on the wire entrances to the pad to

seal it, making it waterproof.

4. The power source was made through 3D printing a case, then placing the batteries in the

case and connecting them in series to raise the voltage to 16.4V.

Figure 1. The image above contains the battery case, with output wires connected to the carbon

fiber heater tape inside of the heating pad apparatus.

5. The rate of heating was then tested in dry conditions. The wires emerging from both ends

of the heating pad were connected to the two wires coming from the battery case, forming

a complete circuit. The temperature sensor was placed in the pocket to measure the

temperature. An Arduino recorded temperature readings once per second. After an hour

and a half, the power source was disconnected, and the readings were put into graphing

software for analysis.

6. The rate of heating was then tested underwater. Water at 16°C was poured into a plastic

bin. The temperature sensor was again placed in the pocket on the heater, and the heating
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pad was placed into the water. Because the pad floated, rocks were placed on it to weigh

it down so it could be tested effectively. An Arduino took temperature readings once per

second. It was allowed to heat up for an hour and a half before the power source was

disconnected. Temperature readings were again put into graphing software for analysis.

Figure 2. The image above displays the testing conditions of the apparatus made under water to

collect data on temperature readings.

7. The ability to control the temperature was also tested. A relay was hooked up that

separated the positive end of the power source from one wire of the heating pad. A

program was written for an Arduino to turn the relay on (and close the circuit) if the

temperature was below the desired temperature and turn the relay off (and open the

circuit) if the temperature was above the desired temperature. The desired temperature
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was set to 45°C, and the heating pad was allowed to run for 30 minutes. Temperature

readings were put into software for analysis.

Data

Figure 3. The graph above is the graph of Temperature vs. Time above water, in room

temperature inside of the enclosing of the thermally conductive plastic. As analyzed in the graph

above, temperature of the carbon fiber heater increased at an average rate of 0.04 °C per second.
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Figure 4. The graph above is the graph of Temperature vs. Time when the heating pad was

submerged in water at 16C. As analyzed in the graph above, temperature of the carbon fiber

heater increased at an average rate of 0.008 °C per second.

Figure 5. The graph above is the graph of Temperature Regulation vs. Time underwater, inside

of the enclosing of the Thermally Conductive Plastic. When set to the value of 45 °C using the

potentiometer, the heater regulated the temperature constantly.

From this data, the team concluded that the heating pad was viable above water and could

combat hypothermia in dry conditions, because it heated up to 60C at a rate of 0.04 °C per

second. Underwater, however, the heater only heated up to 25°C at a rate of 0.008 °C, which

cannot prevent hypothermia but can increase comfort underwater. This decrease in functionality

underwater was expected, but it was still hypothesized that the heater would at least reach 37°C

or above. The temperature was effectively regulated in dry conditions at 45°C, with the

temperature only fluctuating one degree after it initially reached 45°C. This data shows that it is

practical to use a heating pad made from carbon fiber fabric in dry conditions and it is also
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practical for comfort underwater, but not for hypothermia prevention.

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References

Lopatin, V. (n.d.). Carbon tape. Retrieved November 29, 2018,

from: https://www.carbonheater.us/

Stubbing, J. (2018). AUS-e-TUTE : Chemistry Teaching and Learning Resources. Retrieved

November 27, 2018, from:  http://ausetute.com.au/