Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Design of a Piezoelectric De-Icing System for Small Rotorcraft Part 3/3: Numerical Model and Experimental Validation of Vibration-Based De-Icing of a Flat Plate Structure

Eric Villeneuve,Sebastian Ghinet,Christophe Volat

doi:10.3390/aerospace7050054

Eric Villeneuve, Sebastian Ghinet + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7050054

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Abstract

The objective of this research project is divided in four parts: (1) to design a piezoelectric actuator-based de-icing system integrated to a flat plate experimental setup and develop a numerical model of the system with experimental validation, (2) use the experimental setup to investigate actuator activation with frequency sweeps and transient vibration analysis, (3) add an ice layer to the numerical model and predict numerically stresses at ice breaking with experimental validation, and (4) bring the concept to a blade structure for wind tunnel testing. This paper presents the third part of the investigation in which an ice layer is added to the numerical model. Five accelerometers are installed on the flat plate to measure acceleration. Validation of the vibration amplitude predicted by the model is performed experimentally and the stresses calculated by the numerical model at cracking and delamination of the ice layer are determined. A stress limit criteria is then defined from those values for both normal stress at cracking and shear stress at delamination. As a proof of concept, the numerical model is then used to find resonant modes susceptible to generating cracking or delamination of the ice layer within the voltage limit of the piezoelectric actuators. The model also predicts a voltage range within which the ice breaking occurs. The experimental setup is used to validate positively the prediction of the numerical model.

Highlights

This paper describes the results of the third part of a research project investigating the use of piezoelectric actuators in a low-energy de-icing system that could be implemented on small rotorcraft
A numerical model of a piezoelectric actuator de-icing system integrated to a flat plate structure was developed in the first phase of this research project [14]
An ice layer was added to this model and frequency analysis and direct steady-state dynamic analysis were performed to predict the structural natural frequencies, vibration amplitudes and stresses generated in the ice layer

Summary

Introduction

This paper describes the results of the third part of a research project investigating the use of piezoelectric actuators in a low-energy de-icing system that could be implemented on small rotorcraft. With all the problematics that rotorcraft encounter during inflight icing events, like decrease in lift and increase in drag, torque, vibration and imbalance, the industry is in active research to find a low-energy solution. First investigated by Ramanathan [1] and later by Palacios [2], resonating piezoelectric elements were used to generate ultrasonic surface waves to produce shear stress at the ice interface. Used piezoelectric actuators located directly below the iced zones of a NACA 0012 leading edge to generate both local shear strains and normal impulse forces to de-ice— with limited success. In the first part of this project, an experimental setup of a piezoelectric actuators based de-icing system

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