Ultrasonic vibration system and method for removing/avoiding unwanted build-up on structures
First Claim
1. A method to at least one of remove and prevent ice, mud, debris, or other contamination from attaching to a single or multi-layer isotropic or anisotropic host structure, comprising:
- placing at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure;
determining a loading function to create an appropriate shear stress, normal stress, other wave mechanics parameter, or combination thereof, at an interface of the host structure and a contaminant disposed on the host structure at the desired position and depth location; and
activating the at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure to produce the shear stress via ultrasonic continuous guided wave activation, wherein at least one of ultrasonic initial transient wave propagation, reflection factor superposition, and time modal vibrations are used to at least one of delaminate and weaken the adhesion strength of the contamination to the host structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic method for removing and/or avoiding unwanted build-up on structures is provided, wherein the term build-up refers to, but is not limited to, ice, dirt, mud, or other wanted debris or contamination. Deicing or anti-icing structures of interest can include, but are not limited to, helicopter rotor blades, other helicopter blade components, fixed wing aircraft components, windshields in aircraft, automobiles, and other vehicles, ship hulls or other ship components, heat exchangers and other tubing where frost or ice could form, air-conditioning components, head lamp and other light coverings, bridge structures and components, and any structure where anti-icing or deicing would be beneficial. One or more ultrasonic actuators permanently embedded or coupled to the structure may be used accomplish the removal. The technique presented herein could also be utilized for non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring applications.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method to at least one of remove and prevent ice, mud, debris, or other contamination from attaching to a single or multi-layer isotropic or anisotropic host structure, comprising:
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placing at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure; determining a loading function to create an appropriate shear stress, normal stress, other wave mechanics parameter, or combination thereof, at an interface of the host structure and a contaminant disposed on the host structure at the desired position and depth location; and activating the at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure to produce the shear stress via ultrasonic continuous guided wave activation, wherein at least one of ultrasonic initial transient wave propagation, reflection factor superposition, and time modal vibrations are used to at least one of delaminate and weaken the adhesion strength of the contamination to the host structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23)
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3. A method of at least one of removing and preventing ice from attaching to a host structure, comprising:
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one of permanently installing and periodically placing at least one ultrasonic actuator on a surface of the host structure, the surface on which the at least one ultrasonic actuator is placed being spaced from each edge of the host structure; and activating the at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure to generate guided waves to provide ultrasonic stresses in the host structure to one of remove the ice from the host structure, decrease an adhesion strength of ice layers from the host structure and prevent ice from forming on the host structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 19, 21)
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4. A method of at least one of removing and preventing contaminants from attaching to a host structure, comprising:
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one of permanently installing and periodically placing at least one ultrasonic actuator on a surface of the host structure, the surface on which the at least one ultrasonic actuator is placed being spaced from each edge of the host structure; and activating the at least one ultrasonic actuator on the host structure to generate guided waves to provide ultrasonic stresses in the host structure to one of remove the contaminants from the host structure, decrease an adhesion strength of the contaminants from the host structure and prevent contaminates from forming on the host structure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 20, 22)
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Specification