System for preventing icing on an aircraft surface using a plasma actuator

• US 10,227,923 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alenia Aermacchi SPA (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Alenia Aermacchi SPA (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Merlo, Emanuele, Gurioli, Alessandro, Magnoli, Ermanno, Mattiuzzo, Giordano, Pertile, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Walthour, Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/765,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20160003147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/00 De-icing or preventing icing on exterior surfaces of aircraft motor vehicles specially adapted for carrying de-icing equipment B60P
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/12 by electric heating electric heating elements in general H05B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/14 controlled cyclically along length of surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/22 Automatic initiation by icing detector
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0233 comprising de-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0286 for turbofan engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/02 De-icing means for engines having icing phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/047 Heating to prevent icing
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/172 by a plasma generator, e.g. control of ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/0075 comprising electromagnetic or electrostatic means for influencing the state of the fluid, e.g. for ionising the fluid or for generating a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2418 the electrodes being embedded in the dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2425 the electrodes being flush with the dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2437 Multilayer systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2439 Surface discharges, e.g. air flow control

Abstract

A system for preventing icing on an aircraft surface includes a plasma actuator which is applied onto an aircraft surface operationally exposed to air and which is arranged for generating at least one plasma discharge (D) for inducing a flow (F) of ionized hot-air particles towards the surface.

Claims

1. An engine nacelle including a system for preventing icing on an aircraft surface operationally exposed to air;

said system being positioned at a covering lip of an air inlet;

said system for preventing icing extending over the aircraft surface operationally exposed to air, the aircraft surface operationally exposed to air being (1) at least a portion of at least one radially internal side wall of the engine nacelle adjacent to the covering lip and (2) at least a portion of at least one radially external side wall of the engine nacelle adjacent to the covering lip;

said system comprising;

a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator arranged on said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air, and arranged to generate at least one plasma discharge for inducing a flow of ionized hot-air particles towards said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air;

said dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator comprising;

an intermediate portion of dielectric material;

at least one exposed electrode portion positioned on an outer side of said intermediate portion, the at least one exposed electrode portion being exposed to air; and

at least one covered electrode portion of said intermediate portion, the at least one covered electrode portion being operationally shielded from air flowing over said outer side;

said at least one exposed electrode portion and said at least one covered electrode portion being electrically connected to a high-voltage electric power generator and being adapted to be energized by said high-voltage electric power generator to generate said at least one plasma discharge between the at least one exposed electrode portion and the at least one covered electrode portion;

said at least one covered electrode portion being at least partially positioned between an inner side, opposite to said outer side, of said intermediate portion and said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air;

an insulating portion of dielectric material positioned between said at least one covered electrode portion, and said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air;

a control module configured to automatically control said high-voltage electric power generator when particular operating conditions occur, said particular operating conditions corresponding to a temperature of said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air being below a threshold temperature; and

at least one temperature sensor providing a signal to the control module, the signal indicating that the temperature of said aircraft surface operationally exposed to air is below the threshold temperature;

wherein said control module performs said automatic control of said high-voltage electric power generator based on the signal from the temperature sensor according to predetermined control criteria.

2. The engine nacelle according to claim 1, wherein said at least one exposed electrode portion is positioned on said intermediate portion and extends from said outer side of said intermediate portion.

3. The engine nacelle according to claim 1, wherein said at least one exposed electrode portion is partially embedded in said intermediate portion.

4. The engine nacelle according to claim 1, wherein said at least one covered electrode portion is embedded in said intermediate portion.

5. An aircraft including at least one engine nacelle according to claim 1.