Evaluation of the effectiveness of air heating of the icebreaker anti-icing device at the compressor inlet

Abstract

Anti-icing devices that provide increased ice penetration are widely used on modern icebreakers. The devices based on the pneumatic pressurization of the icebreaker hull with air pumped by a special compressor are most common. When operating at low temperatures, there is a danger of compressor failure due to icing of the compressor intake tract. To protect the receiving path, it is necessary to increase the temperature of the air entering the compressor to safe values. Possible heating methods are recirculation of compressed air in the compressor and its heating in a special heat exchanger. A diagram of an anti-icing system that allows you to implement both methods of air heating is presented in the paper; the principle of its operation is described. An urgent problem of selecting the most preferred method of air heating is considered in the paper. As an evaluation criterion, it is proposed to use the energy costs necessary to ensure air heating, cooling parameters of modern internal combustion engines with a high level of boost and advanced engines. To solve this problem, an algorithm that takes into account the features of the operation of the anti-icing device compressor, the requirements for the temperature of the receiving air, the properties of heat carriers is proposed. The calculation method is based on the classical equations of thermodynamics and heat transfer. The results of the calculations performed allow us to compare the energy costs for ensuring an increase in air temperature to the required values when using various methods of heat supply. The conclusions drawn on the basis of the calculations carried out allow us to conclude that the most rational way to warm up the intake air of the compressor of the anti-icing device is the joint use of recirculation and a heat exchanger. A promising direction for improving anti-icing devices is the optimization of the temperature modes of the compressor operation, rationalization of the supplied heat distribution, automation of the control for the temperature regime of the pneumatic boost.