Dual-channel deicing system for a rotary wing aircraft
First Claim
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1. A method of deicing a rotary wing aircraft, comprising:
- providing a first electrothermal heating element located along a leading edge of a main rotor blade over a stagnation line, a second electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along an upper surface of the main rotor blade, a third electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along a lower surface of the main rotor blade, and a fourth electrothermal heating element located aft of the third electrothermal heating element along the lower surface of the main rotor blade;
operating the third electrothermal heating element prior to the first electrothermal heating element, the first electrothermal heating element prior to the second electrothermal heating element, and the fourth electrothermal heating element subsequent to the second electrothermal heating element in response to a heating cycle defined by a controller, the heating cycle including an on-time and an off-time; and
communicating between the controller and another controller, such that the another controller is operable to define the heating cycle upon a failure associated with the controller.
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Abstract
A dual primary deicing system for a rotary-wing aircraft, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an electrothermal heating element system; and a controller in communication with said electrothermal heating element, said controller communicating a heating cycle to said electrothermal heating element system, said heating cycle defining a first electric pulse train associated with a main rotor blade assembly.
45 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of deicing a rotary wing aircraft, comprising:
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providing a first electrothermal heating element located along a leading edge of a main rotor blade over a stagnation line, a second electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along an upper surface of the main rotor blade, a third electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along a lower surface of the main rotor blade, and a fourth electrothermal heating element located aft of the third electrothermal heating element along the lower surface of the main rotor blade; operating the third electrothermal heating element prior to the first electrothermal heating element, the first electrothermal heating element prior to the second electrothermal heating element, and the fourth electrothermal heating element subsequent to the second electrothermal heating element in response to a heating cycle defined by a controller, the heating cycle including an on-time and an off-time; and communicating between the controller and another controller, such that the another controller is operable to define the heating cycle upon a failure associated with the controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of deicing a rotary wing aircraft, comprising:
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operating a plurality of electrothermal heating elements in response to a heating cycle defined by a controller, the heating cycle including an on-time and an off-time for each of the plurality of electrothermal heating elements, the off-time a function of liquid water content (LWC); wherein the plurality of electrothermal heating elements comprise a first electrothermal heating element located along a leading edge of the main rotor blade over a stagnation line, a second electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along an upper surface of the main rotor blade, a third electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along a lower surface of the main rotor blade, and a fourth electrothermal heating element located aft of the third electrothermal heating element along the lower surface of the main rotor blade; and wherein the operating further comprising operating the third electrothermal heating element prior to the first electrothermal heating element, the first electrothermal heating element prior to the second electrothermal heating element, and the fourth electrothermal heating element subsequent to the second electrothermal heating element in response to the heating cycle defined by the controller. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of deicing a rotary wing aircraft, comprising:
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activating a plurality of electrothermal heating elements of an electrothermal heating element system in a sequential order in response to a heating cycle defined by a controller, the plurality of electrothermal heating elements including a first electrothermal heating element located along a leading edge of a main rotor blade, a second electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along an upper surface of the main rotor blade, a third electrothermal heating element located aft of the first electrothermal heating element along a lower surface of the main rotor blade, and a fourth electrothermal heating element located aft of the third electrothermal heating element along the lower surface of the main rotor blade, the sequential order being the third electrothermal heating element, the first electrothermal heating element, the second electrothermal heating element, then the fourth electrothermal heating element; and communicating between the controller and another controller, such that the another controller is operable to define the heating cycle upon a failure associated with the controller. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification