RESISTIVE-INDUCTIVE DE-ICING OF AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES

• US 20140319278A1
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Ribarov, Lubomir A., Gieras, Jacek F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/134.D
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure include a de-icing system for an aircraft. The de-icing system includes a plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements inserted adjacent to a flight control surface and a controller configured to provide a supply current to each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements. Each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements produces an electromagnetic field normal to the flight control surfaces and resistive heat in response to the supply current. The electromagnetic field induces an eddy current in the flight control surface.

Claims

1. A de-icing system for an aircraft comprising:

a plurality of solenoids disposed adjacent to a flight control surface; and

a controller configured to provide a supply current to each of the plurality of solenoids,

wherein each of the plurality of solenoids produces an electromagnetic field in response to the supply current and wherein the electromagnetic field normal to the flight control surfaces induces an eddy current in the flight control surface.

2. The de-icing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor the ambient conditions of the flight control surface, wherein the controller is configured to receive information from the one or more sensors.

3. The de-icing system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to responsively control the supply current provided to each of the plurality of solenoids based on the information received from the one or more sensors.

4. The de-icing system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field produced by each of the plurality of solenoids is strong enough to penetrate the flight control surface.

5. A de-icing system for an aircraft comprising:

a plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements disposed adjacent to a flight control surface; and

a controller configured to provide a supply current to each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements,

wherein each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements produces an electromagnetic field and resistive heat in response to the supply current and wherein the electromagnetic field normal to the flight control surfaces induces an eddy current in the flight control surface.

6. The de-icing system of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor the ambient conditions of the flight control surface, wherein the controller is configured to information from the one or more sensors.

7. The de-icing system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to responsively control the supply current provided to each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements based on the information received from the one or more sensors.

8. The de-icing system of claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic field produced by each of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements is strong enough to penetrate the flight control surface.

9. The de-icing system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements are disposed on a flexible substrate and arranged in a matrix configuration.

10. The de-icing system of claim 9, wherein the matrix configuration of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements includes an m×

n matrix with the m resistive-inductive heating elements connected in series and the n resistive-inductive heating elements in parallel.

11. The de-icing system of claim 9, wherein the matrix configuration of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements includes an m×

n matrix with the m resistive-inductive heating elements connected in a mixed series-parallel connection.

12. The de-icing system of claim 9, wherein the matrix configuration of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements includes an m×

n matrix with the m resistive-inductive heating elements connected in a mixed series-parallel connection and fed with a 3-phase AC electric power source.

13. The de-icing system of claim 9, wherein the matrix configuration of the plurality of resistive-inductive heating elements are arranged such that adjacent resistive-inductive heating elements have opposite magnetic polarity.