Intelligent technology to rid ice from wings
In addition to weight and control issues, ice build-up also has environmental impact. The increased power needed to lift and control the plane translates to increased fuel consumption and emissions. As single point actuators, electromechanical systems have very low power requirements. To address this issue, the EU-funded SMARTERSHIELD (Smart erosion shield for electro-mechanical de-icers) project aimed at developing a highly efficient and improved concept in the form of an erosion shield. Work began by defining specifications and considering key parameters such as dimensions, applied boundaries, safety and environmental design criteria and manufacturing ahead of erosion shield design and development. A state of the art was also conducted for de-icing devices. Researchers proposed, designed and investigated new concepts for erosion shield systems. They then assessed such concepts based on three different phenomena: anisotropic behaviour, vibration modes and buckling. This helped to determine which one ensured the best performance for the erosion shield. Findings reveal that anisotropic behaviour is the most optimal concept with respect to efficiency, weight, complexity, controllability and costs. The SMARTERSHIELD team manufactured, assembled, tested and validated erosion shield mock-ups. It also manufactured and assembled the erosion shield prototype before proceeding with final testing and validation. Lastly, researchers designed a smart erosion shield that is optimised for efficiency, cost, reliability, design and functionality. SMARTERSHIELD technology for de-icing of aircraft wings should have important economic and environmental benefits. Getting rid of ice on wings will reduce aircraft load and enhance lift. In turn, this will cut fuel consumption and associated operating costs and emissions. Finally, de-icing means greater control and manoeuvrability which translates to enhanced passenger safety for important societal benefits.
Keywords
Ice, aircraft wings, SMARTERSHIELD, erosion shield, electro-mechanical de-icers
