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A Vapor Envelope is an ultra-thin-walled vapor chamber that enables a unique combination of lighter weight, lower profile, and lower cost for heat spreading or heat removal applications. It evolved from work done as part of a DARPA program on Thermal Ground Planes. This paper examines a published testing protocol for the measurement of the thermal resistance of thin flexible thermal ground planes. It then applies an adapted version of the published technique to measure the thermal resistance of a vapor envelope and a dimensionally equivalent solid copper heat spreader. Finally, it looks at the implications of a significantly lower thermal resistance for a specific configuration. The analysis of whether this adapted technique would provide a sufficient metric for industrial application identified the control and understanding of the thermal interface materials as a key determinate.

This paper introduces a recent development in electrothermal heating technology that enables increased power densities on the leading edge of aircraft wings for the purpose of de-icing. Key aspects of this development include a high temperature heater mat, minimal thermal interference between the heating element and leading edge skin, a high quality bond of the heater to the skin and a power density profile that compensates for non-uniform thermal loads on the leading edge skin. Icing tunnel testing results corroborate the value of these key aspects in enabling operation at extreme power densities, even to the point of achieving full evaporative anti-icing operation under Intermittent Maximum conditions. The advent of higher power density capabilities has opened the door to new approaches to electrothermal deicing that were previously impracticable. Some of these new approaches and their benefits are presented.