Piezoelectric resonant ice protection systems – Part 1/2: Prediction of power requirement for de-icing a NACA 0024 leading edge

Abstract

This paper proposes a numerical method to analyze the ice protection capability and predict the power requirements of a piezoelectric resonant de-icing system. The method is based on a coupled electro-mechanical finite element analysis which enables the fast computation of the modes of resonance of interest to de-ice curved surfaces and the estimation of the input voltage and current required for a given configuration (defined by its mode, actuator location, ice deposit, etc.). Eventually, the electric power to be supplied can be also assessed. The method is applied to a NACA 0024 leading edge equipped with piezoelectric actuators. First, two extension modes are analyzed and compared with respect to their efficiency and power requirements. Then, tests are carried out in an icing tunnel to verify the effectiveness of the piezoelectric ice protection system and the predictions of the maximal required power. The system allows de-icing the leading edge in less than 2 s for a glaze ice deposit.