U.S. patent application number 13/860852 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-22 for deicer zones with heater-enhanced borders.
This patent application is currently assigned to GOODRICH CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Galdemir Botura, Brian Burkett, Milan Mitrovic. Invention is credited to Galdemir Botura, Brian Burkett, Milan Mitrovic.
Application Number | 20140138490 13/860852 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48139720 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140138490 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Botura; Galdemir ; et
al. |
May 22, 2014 |
DEICER ZONES WITH HEATER-ENHANCED BORDERS
Abstract
An ice protection system comprises deicing zones wherein each
zone includes an envelope with an electrothermal heater layer
Adjacent envelopes have edge regions flanking shared interzone
borders. These edge regions can be configured to provide a higher
heating power than the rest of the envelope so as to enhance
deicing at the borders.
Inventors: |
Botura; Galdemir; (San
Diego, CA) ; Burkett; Brian; (Akron, OH) ;
Mitrovic; Milan; (Del Mar, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Botura; Galdemir
Burkett; Brian
Mitrovic; Milan |
San Diego
Akron
Del Mar |
CA
OH
CA |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GOODRICH CORPORATION
Charlotte
NC
|
Family ID: |
48139720 |
Appl. No.: |
13/860852 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61623047 |
Apr 11, 2012 |
|
|
|
61623050 |
Apr 11, 2012 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
244/134D ;
244/134R |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B 1/0236 20130101;
B64D 15/14 20130101; B64D 15/02 20130101; B64D 15/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
244/134.D ;
244/134.R |
International
Class: |
B64D 15/14 20060101
B64D015/14; B64D 15/12 20060101 B64D015/12; B64D 15/02 20060101
B64D015/02 |
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; 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 region of at least one of the adjacent envelopes is
configured to enhance ice deicing at the interzone border by
providing a higher heating power density than the rest of the
envelope.
2. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each
envelope includes an electrothermal heater layer which converts
electric power to heat to deice the corresponding ice-protection
area.
3. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each
interzone border extends in a spanwise direction generally
perpendicular to the airstream direction; and wherein: the adjacent
envelopes comprise a fore envelope having an edge region flanking
the interzone border, this edge region being configured to enhance
deicing at the interzone border by providing a higher heating power
density than the rest of the envelope; and/or the adjacent
envelopes comprise an aft envelope having an edge region flanking
the interzone border, this edge region being configured to enhance
deicing at the interzone border by providing a higher heating power
density than the rest of the envelope; and/or the adjacent
envelopes comprise a mid envelope having a fore edge region
flanking the interzone border, this edge region being configured to
enhance deicing at the interzone border by providing a higher
heating power density than the rest of the envelope; and/or the
adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope having an aft edge
region flanking the interzone border, this edge region being
configured to enhance deicing at the interzone border by providing
a higher heating power density than the rest of the envelope.
4. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 3, comprising an
anti-icing zone positioned fore of the first set of the deicing
zones.
5. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 3, comprising a
second set of contiguous deicing zones; wherein: each deicing zone
in this second 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 include an edge region flanking this interzone
border (260/270); the edge region of at least one of the adjacent
envelopes is configured to enhance ice deicing at this interzone
border by providing a higher heating power density than the rest of
the envelope; and each interzone border extends in a spanwise
direction generally perpendicular to the airstream direction.
6. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 5, comprising an
anti-icing zone positioned fore of the second set of the deicing
zones, the anti-icing zone being 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 each
interzone border extends in a chordwise direction generally
parallel to the airstream direction; and wherein: the adjacent
envelopes comprise an inboard envelope having an edge region
flanking the interzone border, this edge region being configured to
enhance deicing at the interzone border by providing a higher
heating power density than the rest of the envelope; and/or the
adjacent envelopes comprise an outboard envelope having an edge
region flanking the interzone border, this edge region being
configured to enhance deicing at the interzone border by providing
a higher heating power density than the rest of the envelope;
and/or the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope and wherein
the inboard edge region of the mid envelope flanking the interzone
border is configured to enhance deicing at the interzone border by
providing a higher heating power density than the rest of the
envelope; and/or the adjacent envelopes comprise a mid envelope
having an outboard edge region flanking the interzone border, this
edge region being configured to enhance deicing at the interzone
border by providing a higher heating power density than the rest of
the envelope.
8. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 7, comprising an
anti-icing zone positioned fore of the first set of the deicing
zones.
9. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 7, 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; the edge region of at least
one of the adjacent envelopes is configured to enhance ice deicing
at the interzone border by providing a higher heating power density
than the rest of the envelope; and each interzone border extends in
a chordwise direction generally parallel to the airstream
direction.
10. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 9, comprising an
anti-icing zone positioned fore of the second set of the deicing
zones, the anti-icing zone being positioned between the first set
of deicing zones and the second set of deicing zones.
11. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
higher power density is achieved by tighter track spacing in the
relevant edge regions.
12. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
higher power density is achieved by higher track heights and/or
wider track widths in the relevant edge regions.
13. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
higher power density is achieved by higher-resistance track
material in the relevant edge regions
14. 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.
15. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 14, wherein
power is supplied sequentially to the deicing zones in the first
set.
16. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the
power-supply episodes are executed in a staggering schedule.
17. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the
higher power density of the relevant edge causes an at least 3%
increase in per-episode power for the deicing zone.
18. An ice protection system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the
higher power density of the relevant edge regions causes an at
least 12% increase in per-episode power for the deicing zone.
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.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/623,047, filed Apr. 11,
2012, entitled "DEICER ZONES WITH HEATING-ENHANCED BORDERS", and to
Application No. 61/623,050, filed Apr. 11, 2012, entitled "DEICER
ZONES WITH SHEDDING-ENHANCED BORDERS", both of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An aircraft will typically include an ice protection system
to prevent excessive ice accumulation on its wings, stabilizers,
engine inlet lips, and/or pylons. The ice protection system can
incorporate an array of contiguous deicing zones associated with
areas surrounding the leading edge. Each deicing zone can include
envelope having an electrothermal layer which converts electric
power to heat for deicing of the associated area.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to one embodiment, an ice protection system
comprising a first set of contiguous deicing zones is disclosed. In
this embodiment, each deicing zone comprises an envelope defining
an 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
region of at least one of the adjacent envelopes is configured to
enhance ice deicing at the interzone border by providing a higher
heating power density than the rest of the envelope.
DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 shows an aircraft having several surfaces protectable
by the ice protection system;
[0005] FIGS. 2-3 shows flattened views of the ice protection system
wherein interzone borders extend in a spanwise direction;
[0006] FIGS. 4-6 show standard power-supply procedures for the
deicing zones of the ice protection system;
[0007] FIGS. 7A-7C show some possible edge-power-density profiles
for the deicing zones of the ice protection system;
[0008] FIGS. 8A-8C, 9A-9C, 10A-10C, 11A-11C, 12A-12C, 13A-13C,
14A-14C, 15A-15C, 16A-16C, and 17A-17C show some heater-element
constructions for achieving the edge-power-density profiles shown
in FIGS. 7A-7C;
[0009] FIG. 18 plots the increase in per-episode power versus the
decrease in overall deicing power;
[0010] FIG. 19A shows an alternate version of the ice protection
system wherein the interzone borders instead extend in a chordwise
direction;
[0011] FIG. 19B shows another alternate version of the ice
protection system wherein the interzone borders instead extend in a
chordwise direction; and
[0012] FIG. 19C shows still another alternate version of the ice
protection system wherein the interzone borders instead extend in a
chordwise direction.
DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, an aircraft 10 can comprise fuselage
11, wings 12, horizontal stabilizers 13, a vertical stabilizer 14,
engines 15, and pylons 16. The wings 12 are the aircraft's primary
lift providers. The horizontal stabilizers 13 prevent up-down
motion of the aircraft nose, and the vertical stabilizer 14
discourages side to side swinging. The engines 15 are the
aircraft's thrust-providing means and the pylons 16 serve as
underwing mounting means for the engines.
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 2-3, each wing 12, stabilizer 13-14,
engine 15, and/or pylon 16 can be viewed as having an
ice-susceptible surface 20 with a leading edge 30. The airstream A
first encounters the leading edge 30 and then travels in a fore-aft
direction therefrom.
[0015] The surface 20 is provided with an ice protection system 40
comprising an ice protection array 50 and a controller 60 operably
connected to the array 50. The illustrated ice protection array 50
comprises a first set 100 of contiguous deicing zones 101-103, a
second set 200 of contiguous deicing zones 201-203, and an
anti-icing zone 310. The anti-icing zone 310 will usually coincide
with the leading edge 30 and can be positioned between the fore
zone 101 of the first deicer set 100 and the fore zone 201 of the
second deicer set 200.
[0016] While the surface 20 appears flat in the drawing, this is
simply for ease in illustration and explanation. In most instances,
the surface 20 will have a curved profile wrapping around the
leading edge 30 of the associated aircraft structure. If, for
example, the ice-susceptible surface 20 is on a wing 12 or a
horizontal stabilizer 13, the deicing zones 101-103 could be
located on upper portion of the wing/stabilizer and the deicing
zones 201-203 could be located on its lower portion. If the surface
20 resides on the vertical stabilizer 14 or one of the pylons 16,
the deicing zones 101-103 could occupy its rightside portions and
the deicing zones 201-203 could occupy its leftside portions. If
the surface area 20 is on one of the engines 15, the deicing zones
101-103 could be situated on inner lip portions and the deicing
zones 201-203 could be situated on outer lip portions.
[0017] The deicing zones 101-103 in the first deicer set 100 each
comprise an envelope 111-113 defining an ice protection area
121-123. Each envelope 111-113 includes an electrothermal heater
layer 131-133 which converts electric power to heat to deice the
corresponding ice-protection area 121-123. The envelopes 111-113
can comprise further layers (e.g., layers 141-143, layers 151-153,
etc.) surrounding the heater layers 131-133 for thermal transfer,
electrical insulation, and/or protection purposes.
[0018] The envelopes 111-112 share a common interzone border 160
and the envelopes 112-113 share a common interzone border 170,
which both extend generally in a spanwise direction perpendicular
to the airstream direction A. The interzone border 160 is flanked
by an end region 161 of the envelope 111 and an end region 162 of
the envelope 112. The interzone border 170 s flanked by an end
region 172 of the envelope 112 and an end region 173 of the
envelope 113.
[0019] The envelope 111 has a non-common (e.g., fore) border 180
adjacent its edge region 181 and the envelope 113 has a non-common
(e.g., aft) border 190 adjacent its edge region 193. The border 180
and the border 190 also extend generally in a spanwise direction
perpendicular to the airstream direction A.
[0020] The deicing zones 201-203 in the second deicer set 200
include similar envelopes 211-213 defining ice protection areas
221-223 and including envelope layers (e.g., layers 231-233, layers
241-243, layers 251-253, etc.). They also include an interzone
border 260 (flanked by envelope edge regions 261 and 262), an
interzone border 270 (flanked by envelope edge regions 272 and
273), a fore border 280 (adjacent envelope edge region 281), and an
aft border 290 (adjacent envelope edge region 293). The interzone
border 260, the interzone border 270, the fore border 280, and the
aft border 290 extend generally in a direction perpendicular to the
airstream direction A.
[0021] The anti-icing zone 301 can include an envelope 311 defining
an ice protection area 321, housing an electrothermal heater layer
331, and including additional envelope layers 341 and 351. The
anti-icing zone 310 can be bounded by borders 160 and 260 and
flanked by envelope edge regions 161 and 261.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 4-6, some possible power-supply
procedures for the ice protection system 40 are shown. In each of
these procedures, electrical power is episodically (not constantly)
supplied to a heater for short time periods. The episode extent is
selected so that enough heat is provided to loosen accumulated ice
for sweeping away by the ensuing airstream. The episode-to-episode
interlude is chosen so that an appropriate amount of ice
accumulates therebetween. Although these time durations will vary
depending upon several factors, an episode will ordinarily last
about five to ten seconds and will usually be less than twenty
seconds. And the interlude between episodes is generally greater
than ten seconds.
[0023] In a zoned electrothermal deicing procedure, the
power-supply episodes are executed in a staggering schedule so as
to minimize power-draw spikes. The heaters' episodes are
collectively viewed in terms of time intervals t1-tn, with
different heaters being supplied power during different intervals.
A cycle is completed when a power-supply episode has occurred for
each deicing zone.
[0024] In FIG. 4, each cycle includes six intervals t1-t6, with
power being supplied to sequentially to zones 101-103 and then
sequentially to zones 201-203. In FIG. 5, each cycle includes three
intervals t1-t3, with power being supplied sequentially to zones
101-103 and sequentially to zones 201-203 at the same time. In FIG.
6, each cycle includes eight intervals t1-t8, with only one deicing
zone being supplied power during some of the intervals (e.g.,
intervals t1, t4, t5, t8) and two deicing zones being supplied with
power during other intervals (e.g., intervals t2, t3, t6, t7).
[0025] The anti-icing zone 301 is continuously supplied with power
in all of the illustrated power-supply procedures. This continuous
supply of electrical power is intended to persistently heat the
corresponding ice protection area 311 so that ice never even forms
thereon. The use of such an anti-icing approach along a leading
edge is considered customary in airfoil ice protection.
[0026] As was indicated above, the envelope structures commonly
include further layers (e.g., layers 141-143, layers 151-153, etc.)
surrounding the heater layers 131-133, at least some of which are
for electrical insulation and/or protection purposes. As such,
envelope constructions can often hinder the transfer of ice-melting
heat to edge regions of the deicing zones. This hindering is
especially apparent when two adjacent deicer envelopes share a
common interzone border (e.g., envelopes 111-112 sharing border
160, adjacent envelopes 112-113 sharing border 170, adjacent
envelopes 211-212 sharing border 260, and adjacent envelopes
212-213 sharing border 270).
[0027] When designing a deicer envelope, the non-heating layers are
generally optimized to provide adequate electrical insulation,
sufficient environmental protection, maximum heat transfer, lighter
weights, lower power draws, and longer lives. As such, trimming
parameters along edge regions could compromise electrical
insulation and environmental protection. Likewise, protracting
parameters within non-edge regions could cause weight and
power-draw concessions.
[0028] The ice protection system 40 addresses border-heat-hindrance
issues by configuring envelope edge regions to enhance deicing at
such interzone boundaries.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, the deicing envelopes are
configured so that interzone-border edge regions have a higher
power. In FIG. 7A, an increased power density is provided to each
edge region flanking an interzone border (i.e., edge regions
161-162, edge regions 171-172, edge regions 261-262, edge regions
271-272). In FIG. 7B, an increased power density is provided to
only the edge regions of an intermediary zone (i.e., edge regions
162 and 172 of mid deicing zone 102, edge regions 262 and 272 of
the mid deicing zone 202). In FIG. 7C, an increased power density
is provided at only at edge regions of non-intermediate zones
(i.e., edge region 161 of fore deicing zone 101, edge region 173 of
aft deicing zone 103, edge region 261 of fore deicing zone 201, and
edge region 273 of aft deicing zone 203).
[0030] As shown in the 8th through 13th drawing sets, the heating
layers 131-133 of the deicing zones 101-103 can comprise heating
elements 135-137 and the heating layers 231-233 of the deicing
zones 201-203 can comprise heating elements 235-237. These heating
elements can comprise conductive tracks printed, etched, laid, or
otherwise posed in a heating pattern within the heating layers.
Increased power density in the relevant edge regions can be
achieved by tighter spacing, higher heights, and/or wider widths of
the tracks.
[0031] As shown in the 14th through 16th drawing sets, the heating
elements 135-137 and 235-237 can instead each comprise a single
track printed, etched, laid, or otherwise posed in a solid heating
pattern. The heating layers 131-133 and 231-233 can include bus
bars (not shown) for supply and return of electric power to and
from the solid heating pattern. Increased power density in the
relevant edge regions can be achieved by higher resistance and/or
higher heights of the single solid tracks.
[0032] An increased power density in envelope edge regions can
translate into more power being used by a particular deicing zone
during each episode. However, analytical results indicate that a
slight increase in per-episode power can result in a dramatic
decrease in total deicing time, and thus a remarkable reduction in
overall power. As shown in FIG. 18, for example, an about 3%
increase in per-episode power can correlate to an about 20%
decrease in overall deicing power, an about 6% increase in
per-episode power can correlate to an about 30% decrease in overall
deicing power, an about 9% increase in per-episode power can
correlate to an about 40% decrease in overall power, and an about
15% increase in per-episode power can correlate to an about 45%
reduction in overall power.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 19A-19C, the interzone borders 160 and 170
can instead or additionally extend in a chordwise direction
generally parallel to the airstream direction A. In this case, the
first set 100 can comprise an inboard deicing zone 101, a mid
deicing zone 102, and an outboard deicing zone 103. The second set
200 can comprise similar inboard, mid, and outboard zones 201-203.
Inboard borders 180 and 280, and outboard boards 190 and 290, can
likewise extend in a chordwise direction, with the anti-icing zone
301 being position between fore edges of the deicing zones 101-103
and fore edges of the deicing zones 201-203.
[0034] Although the aircraft 10, the aircraft surface 20, the
system 40, the array 50, the controller 60, the deicing zones
101-103, the deicing zone 201-203, and/or the anti-icing zone 301
have been shown and described with respect to a certain
embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and
modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the
reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed
drawings. Specifically, for example, ice protection systems with
more or less deicing and/or anti-icing zones are feasible and
foreseeable. And while a particular feature of the aircraft 10 or
the system 40 may have been described above with respect to some of
the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one
or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired
and advantageous.
TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE NUMBERS 10 aircraft/outboard 11 fuselage
20 ice susceptible surface 12 wings 30 leading edge 13 horizontal
stabilizers 40 ice protection system 14 vertical stabilizers 50 ice
protection array 15 engines 60 controller 16 pylons 100 first set
of deicing zones 200 second set of deicing zones 101 fore/inboard
deicing zone 201 fore/inboard deicing zone 102 mid deicing zone 202
mid deicing zone 103 aft/outboard zone 203 aft/outboard deicing
zone 111 fore/inboard envelope 211 fore/inboard deicer envelope 112
mid envelope 212 mid envelope 113 aft/outboard envelope 213
aft/outboard envelope 121 fore/inboard area 221 fore/inboard area
122 mid area 222 mid area 123 aft/outboard area 223 aft/outboard
area 131 fore/inboard heating layer 231 fore/inboard heating layer
132 mid heating layer 232 mid heating layer 133 aft/outboard
heating layer 233 aft/outboard heating layer 135 fore/inboard
heating element 235 fore/inboard heating element 136 mid heating
element 236 mid heating element 137 aft/outboard heating element
237 aft/outboard heating element 141 fore/inboard envelope layer
241 fore/inboard envelope layer 142 mid envelope layer 242 mid
envelope layer 143 aft/outboard envelope layer 243 aft/outboard
envelope layer 151 fore/inboard envelope layer 251 fore/inboard
envelope layer 152 mid envelope layer 252 mid envelope layer 153
aft/outboard envelope layer 253 aft/outboard envelope layer 160
interzone border 260 interzone border 161 interzone-border edge
region 261 interzone-border edge region 162 interzone-border edge
region 262 interzone-border edge region 170 interzone border 270
interzone border 172 interzone-border edge region 272
interzone-border edge region 173 interzone-border edge region 273
interzone-border edge region 180 fore/inboard border 280
fore/inboard border 181 border edge region 281 border edge region
190 aft/outboard border 290 aft/outboard border 193 border edge
region 291 border edge region 301 anti-icing zone 331 anti-icing
heating layer 311 anti-icing envelope 341 anti-icing envelope layer
321 anti-icing area 351 anti-icing envelope layer
* * * * *