DEICER ZONES WITH SHEDDING-ENHANCED BORDERS

• US 20130270253A1
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Botura, Galdemir, Burkett, Brian, Mitrovic, Milan
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/475
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/02 by ducted hot gas or liquid
• 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: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles

Abstract

An ice protection system comprises deicing zones each including an envelope defining an ice-protection area. Adjacent envelopes have spanwise edge regions flanking shared interzone borders. The edge regions are provided with nonlinear contours having features which project-and-recess in a direction generally parallel to the airstream direction.

Claims

1. An ice protection system comprising a first set of contiguous deicing zones;

wherein;

each deicing zone comprises an envelope defining an ice-protection area;

each envelope includes an electrothermal heater layer which converts electric power to heat to deice the corresponding ice-protection area;

at least two of the envelopes are adjacent and share a common interzone border;

each of the adjacent envelopes includes an edge region flanking the interzone border; and

the edge regions of the adjacent envelopes are configured to enhance deicing at the interzone border by having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction.

2. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a fore envelope having an edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction;

and/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise an aft envelope having an edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction; and

/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope having a fore edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction; and

/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope having an aft edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction.

3. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, comprising an anti-icing zone positioned fore of the first set of the deicing zones.

4. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, comprising a second set of contiguous deicing zones;

wherein;

each deicing zone comprises an envelope defining an ice-protection area;

each envelope includes an electrothermal heater layer which converts electric power to heat to deice the corresponding ice-protection area;

at least two of the envelopes are adjacent and share a common interzone border;

each of the adjacent envelopes includes an edge region flanking the interzone border; and

the edge regions of the adjacent envelopes are configured to enhance ice deicing at the interzone border by having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction.

5. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a fore envelope having an edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction;

and/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise an aft envelope having an edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction; and

/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope having a fore edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction; and

/or

wherein the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope having an aft edge region flanking the interzone border, this edge region having nonlinear contours with edge features which project-and-recess in a direction substantially parallel to the airstream direction.

6. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 4, comprising an anti-icing zone positioned fore of the second set of the deicing zones, wherein the anti-icing zone is positioned between the first set of deicing zones and the second set of deicing zones.

7. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge regions of the adjacent envelopes have complimentary edge features.

8. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the edge regions of the adjacent envelopes have undulating edge features.

9. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the edge features puzzle-piece together to form a continuous interzone border.

10. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features have rounded shapes.

11. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features are aligned.

12. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features are offset.

13. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features vary in frequency along the interzone border.

14. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features vary in amplitude along the interzone border.

15. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge features of different interzone borders vary in frequency and/or vary in amplitude.

16. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a controller which supplies electrical power episodically to each of the deicing zones, wherein the episode extent is less than twenty seconds and wherein the episode-to-episode interlude is greater than ten seconds.

17. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the power-supply episodes are executed in a staggering schedule.

18. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 16, wherein power is supplied sequentially to deicing zones in the first set.

19. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, installed on an ice-susceptible surface, wherein the surface has a leading edge which an airstream first encounters and then travels in fore-aft direction therefrom, and wherein the deicing zones protect surface regions fore and aft of the leading edge.

20. An aircraft comprising an ice-susceptible surface and an ice protection system as set forth in claim 1 installed on the ice-susceptible surface.