Low power de-icing systems for light weight helicopters

旋翼机在飞行中易受旋翼叶片结冰的影响。到目前为止，只有大型直升机可以通过高能电热系统为旋翼叶片除冰，而小型直升机缺乏运行这些系统所需的电力。这就是为什么小型旋翼机制造商贝尔直升机德事隆公司在2006至2014年间在魁北克大学奇古蒂米分校(UQAC)实现了两个CRSNG-CRIAQ项目，其中三种方法在模拟结冰测试中进行了评估，并证明了其在旋翼机应用中的可行性。然后建议在更高的TRL下进行进一步研究：节能技术、低冰附着力涂层和压电致动器，以及避免滑移的解决方案--低重量桅杆安装发电机(MMG)。该项目包括在实验室开发达到TRL Level 5的三项技术，这三项技术以前在TRL 3上被证明是可行的，或两者的组合：能够减少冰附着，但需要高耐蚀性的憎冰涂层(目标1)，配备抗压电元件的高效压电系统，以确保持久的防冰叶片保护(目标2)；以及MMG技术用于高效控制转子叶片加热的无线系统(目标3)。该项目包括两项基本工作：开发一个新的软件，模拟除冰过程中旋翼机叶片上的热传递(目标4)，以及继续先前关于冰粘着的物理模型的工作(目标5)。赠款提案将涉及三个加拿大工业合作伙伴，即贝尔直升机德事隆加拿大公司、MagChem加拿大公司和IDERS加拿大公司；以及四个机构合作伙伴：UQAC防冰材料实验室、国家航空航天研究委员会、蒙特利尔理工学院和高级技术学院。三名研究生，两名博士和一名硕士，将参与目标2、3和4。鉴于目前的知识和科学进步，全面开发耐用的憎冰涂层或/和可靠的配备压电的系统将构成失败，这将使所有加拿大合作伙伴受益。

Rotorcraft is vulnerable to rotor-blade in-flight icing. As so far only large helicopter may have rotor blades de-iced by means of high-energy electro-thermal systems, whereas small helicopter is lacking in the electrical power required to run them. That is why Bell Helicopter Textron, a manufacturer of small rotorcraft, realized at University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC) between 2006 and 2014 two CRSNG-CRIAQ projects, in which three approaches were evaluated in simulated icing tests and demonstrated practical for rotorcraft application. These were then recommended for further investigation at higher TRL: as energy-wise technologies, low-ice-adhesion coatings and piezoelectric actuators, and as solution avoiding slips rings the low-weight mast-mounted generator (MMG). The project consists of developing in laboratory up to TRL level 5, the three technologies previously demonstrated feasible at TRL 3, or a combination thereof: ice-phobic coatings poised to reduce ice adhesion, but requiring high erosion resistance (Objective 1), efficient piezoelectric system equipped with resistant piezo-elements to ensure a durable anti-icing blade protection (Objective 2); and for MMG technology a wireless system for efficiently controlling the rotor blade heating (Objective 3). The project includes two fundamental works : the development of a new software for modelling the heat transfer on rotorcraft blades during de-icing (objective 4) and the continuation of the previous work on a physic-based model elaborated on ice adhesion (objective 5). The grant proposal will involve three Canadian industrial partners, Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, MagChem Inc. Canada, and Iders Canada; and four institutional partners: Anti-Icing Materials Laboratory of UQAC, National Research Council Aerospace, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and Ecole de Technologie Superieure. Three graduate students, two Ph. D. and a Master degree, will be involved in Objectives 2, 3 and 4. Given the present state of knowledge and scientific advancement, the full development of a durable ice-phobic coating or/and a reliable piezo-equipped system will constitute a breakdown, which will profit to all Canadian partners.