Thermo-mechanical de-icing

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The removal of ice deposits on aerodynamic surfaces is a frequent challenge in aviation, which jeopardises flight safety. On the other hand, ice deposition is also a concern for stationary installations on the ground, such as wind turbines. To solve this problem, especially for modern lightweight construction with fibre composites, a novel de-icing concept is being developed. The concept is based on the working principle of shape memory alloys (SMA). The ring-shaped SMA wire is embedded in an elastomer. The alloy is activated by heat, causing the ring to contract. The contraction thus produced causes the elastomer to bulge. The heat of the thermal activation additionally increases the surface temperature and thus reduces the adhesive strength. By superimposing the mechanical (bulging) and thermal effect (temperature increase), the deposited ice is to be removed more easily and efficiently. If the heating is interrupted, the SMA wire is no longer active and cools down. Due to the spring force of the elastomer, the SMA wire deforms back to its initial position after the phase transformation.The aim of this project is to investigate in detail the concept for a thermo-mechanical de-icing system with regard to functional conformity. The elastomer and SMA must interact harmoniously in the new de-icing principle. This requires the temporal and spatial coupling of thermal and mechanical effects.Due to the unique coupled thermal and mechanical properties, SMA offers a natural hybrid de-icing system. With this project we want to thoroughly investigate the mechanisms that influence performance. This includes the improvement of individual influencing parameters such as the thermal conductivity and stiffness of the elastomer, the increase of the working frequency of the SMA. Furthermore, the new functional models will be investigated under aerodynamic load.