Disclosed is a method of de-icing an aerofoil, where Piezo-Electric Transducers 40 (PETs) are coupled to the inner surface of the aerofoil, electrically coupling the PETs to a DC-DC converter and a first inverter, where the PETs are driven at frequencies sweeping over the range 10kHz to 100kHz. Using the PET to vibrate the structure will case ice to either not form or to disconnect from the surface and fall off. The PETs may be divided into two groups and each group is connected to a separate inverter, the two groups being driven out of phase or phase shifted from each other. The phase shift may be 180 degrees or may be repeatedly changed. The DC-DC converter may be a buck converter, the first and second inverter may be half bridges. The PETs may be shaped to have a diameter of 50mm +/- 2mm and a thickness of 2mm +/- 0.1mm. The PET groups may be driven with a sine wave voltage.
Piezo de-icing and anti-icing systems and methods
02.08.2023
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64D Ausrüstung für Flugzeuge , EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT |
Europäisches Patentamt | 2021
|NTIS | 1971