Development and evaluation of a novel integrated anti-icing/de-icing technology for carbon fibre composite aerostructures using an electro-conductive textile

Abstract

Please cite this article as: Falzon, B.G., Robinson, P., Frenz, S., Gilbert, B., Development and evaluation of a novel integrated anti-icing/de-icing technology for carbon fibre composite aerostructures using an electro-conductive textile, Composites: Part A (2014), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.compositesa.2014.10.023 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. ABSTRACTThe preliminary evaluation is described of a new electro-thermal anti-icing/de-icing device for carbon fibre composite aerostructures. The heating element is an electro-conductive carbon-based textile (ECT) by Gorix. Electrical shorting between the structural carbon fibres and the ECT was mitigated by incorporating an insulating layer formed of glass fibre plies or a polymer film. A laboratory-based anti-icing and de-icing test program demonstrated that the film-insulated devices yielded better performance than the glass fibre insulated ones. The heating capability after impact damage was maintained as long as the ECT fabric was not breached to the extent of causing electrical shorting. A modified structural scarf repair was shown to restore the heating capacity of a damaged specimen.

An advanced anti-icing/de-icing system utilizing highly aligned carbon nanotube webs

“…The spent bleed air is subsequently exhausted through small holes in the wing. This adds weight and maintenance requirements, and is energy inefficient [4]. Such as system is even less efficient for composite wings which are less thermally conductive than metal.…”

“…They can deliver higher energy efficiencies, low maintenance requirements and the absence of bleed exhaust holes, airplane drag and noise are improved. Various materials have been investigated as the heating element, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16], graphene [17][18][19][20][21], carbon fiber (CF) [22], sprayable metal layer [23], electro-conductive textile [4] and constantan wires [24]. Among the materials, metal layers and wires are relatively heavy, incompatible with CFRP materials leading to interface problems, and do not enhance structural properties.…”

From Extremely Water-Repellent Coatings to Passive Icing Protection—Principles, Limitations and Innovative Application Aspects

“…Such a layer normally disappears within a short timeframe (a few minutes) due to the activation of an integrated electro-thermal de-icing system. The electro-thermal systems are the most commonly used de-icing tools in aerospace industry and wind turbines, since they do not adversely modify the airfoil surface and do not increase the stall speed [49,[53][54][55][56]. However, the optimization of these systems is still under extensive studies mainly due to the existence of several shortcomings [57].…”

Aligned carbon nanotube webs embedded in a composite laminate: A route towards a highly tunable electro-thermal system

“…In addition, air-bleed decreases the efficiency of the engines, and the piping network adds weight and maintenance costs [7]. In recent years, diverse ice protection systems have been investigated, including electrothermal systems [6][7][8][9][10][11][12], electro expulsive systems [13], superhydrophobic coatings [14][15][16] and flexible pneumatic boots [17]. Among these, an electro-thermal system can be used for both anti-icing and de-icing, where a moderately conductive foil or wire element is commonly embedded in the critical surface and resistively heated.…”