ICING PROTECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING HEAT TRANSFER

• US 20090108134A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Thodiyil, Joseph Albert, Tomlinson, Thomas John, Skoog, Andrew Jay, Laborie, Daniel Jean-Louis
• Application Number:
  US11/923,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20090108134A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/134.B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/04 Hot gas application
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0233 comprising de-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/073 containing MCrAl or MCrAlY alloys, where M is nickel, cobalt or iron, with or without non-metal elements
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/131 Wire arc spraying
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/185 Heat-exchange surfaces provided with microstructures or with porous coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/14 for preventing damage by freezing, e.g. for accommodating volume expansion

Abstract

An icing protection system and method for enhancing heat transfer includes a substrate having an inner wall, an outer wall and a thickness separating the inner wall and the outer wall. A metallic layer deposited on the inner wall of the substrate by an electric arc thermal spray deposition process using at least one metallic wire has a thickness between about 0.203 mm (0.008 inches) and about 0.432 mm (0.017 inches), a surface roughness greater than about 12.7 microns (500 micro-inches) Ra, and a heat transfer augmentation of at least about 1.1. The metallic layer is formed on the inner wall from an M-Cr—Al alloy where M is selected from Fe, Co and Ni. The metallic layer defines a plurality of turbulators that act as micro-fins to enhance heat transfer from a heated gas in flow communication with the metallic layer through the substrate to prevent the formation of ice on the outer wall.

Claims

1. An icing protection system for preventing the formation of ice on a surface that is susceptible to icing, the system comprising:

a substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and a thickness separating the first surface and the second surface; and

a metallic layer deposited on the first surface of the substrate, the metallic layer operable for enhancing heat transfer from a heated gas in flow communication with the metallic layer through the thickness of the substrate to prevent the formation of ice on the second surface.

2. The icing protection system of claim 1, wherein the first surface is the inner surface of an aircraft structure and the second surface is the outer surface of the aircraft structure.

3. The icing protection system of claim 1, wherein the metallic layer is deposited on the first surface of the substrate by an electric arc thermal spray deposition process using at least one metallic wire.

4. The icing protection system of claim 3, wherein the metallic layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.203 mm (0.008 inches) to about 0.432 mm (0.017 inches) and a surface roughness greater than about 12.7 microns (500 micro-inches) Ra.

5. The icing protection system of claim 3, wherein the metallic layer has a heat transfer augmentation of at least about 1.1.

6. The icing protection system of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer comprises an M-Cr—

Al alloy and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni.

7. The icing protection system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer deposited on the first surface of the substrate defines a plurality of micro-fins for enhancing heat transfer from the heated gas to the second surface.

8. The icing protection system of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a D-duct defined by a nacelle inlet, the first surface is the inner wall of the D-duct and the second surface is the outer wall of the D-duct, and wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer defines a plurality of micro-fins deposited on the inner wall of the D-duct by an electric arc thermal spray deposition process using at least one metallic wire.

9. A method for enhancing heat transfer to a surface that is susceptible to icing, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a thickness separating the first surface and the second surface; and

depositing a metallic layer on the first surface; and

disposing a heated gas in flow communication with the metallic layer to enhance heat transfer from the heated gas through the thickness of the substrate and thereby prevent the formation of ice on the second surface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first surface is the inner surface of an aircraft structure and the second surface is the outer surface of the aircraft structure.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the metallic layer is deposited on the first surface of the substrate by an electric arc thermal spray process using at least one metallic wire.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the metallic layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.203 mm (0.008 inches) to about 0.432 mm (0.017 inches) and a surface roughness greater than about 12.7 microns (500 micro-inches) Ra.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the metallic layer has a heat transfer augmentation of at least about 1.1.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer comprises an M-Cr—

Al alloy and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer deposited on the first surface of the substrate defines a plurality of micro-fins for enhancing heat transfer from the heated gas to the second surface.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises a D-duct defined by a nacelle inlet, the first surface is the inner wall of the D-duct and the second surface is the outer wall of the D-duct, and wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer defines a plurality of micro-fins deposited on the inner wall of the D-duct by an electric arc thermal spray deposition process using at least one metallic wire.

17. An icing protection system for preventing the formation of ice on an aircraft structure that is susceptible to icing and for enhancing heat transfer in the aircraft structure, the system comprising:

a substrate having an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface and a thickness separating the inner surface and the outer surface;

a metallic layer deposited on the inner surface by an electric arc thermal spray deposition process, the metallic layer defining a plurality of micro-fins operable for enhancing heat transfer from a heated gas in flow communication with the metallic layer through the thickness of the substrate to prevent the formation of ice on the outer surface.

18. The icing protection system of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a D-duct defined by a nacelle inlet, the inner surface is the inner wall of the D-duct and the outer surface is the outer wall of the D-duct.

19. The icing protection system of claim 17, wherein the electric arc thermal spray deposition process uses at least one metallic wire, and wherein the metallic layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.203 mm (0.008 inches) to about 0.432 mm (0.017 inches), a surface roughness greater than about 12.7 microns (500 micro-inches) Ra, and a heat transfer augmentation of at least about 1.1.

20. The icing protection system of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the metallic layer comprises an M-Cr—

Al alloy and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni.