Weeping ferrofluid anti-ice system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046442-B2
Application number	US-201816049225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Method, system, and aircraft for providing anti-ice protection including a supply of ferrofluid that is flowed out of orifices along a first region of an aerodynamic surface. The flowed ferrofluid is urged toward an aperture on a second region. The aperture is arranged relative to a magnetic field generator. A magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator attracts the ferrofluid into the aperture while water droplets carried by the ferrofluid continue past the aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preventing ice from forming on an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, the method comprising:
flowing a ferrofluid from a reservoir through a first plurality of orifices onto an upstream region of the aerodynamic surface using a pump, wherein the first plurality of orifices are on a leading edge of the aerodynamic surface, and wherein ferrofluid on the upstream region flows to a downstream region of the aerodynamic surface;
generating a first magnetic field using at least one first magnetic field source, wherein the first magnetic field is oriented toward an aperture in the downstream region of the aerodynamic surface, and wherein the first magnetic field attracts the ferrofluid on the downstream region of the aerodynamic surface into the aperture; and
flowing the ferrofluid from the aperture to the reservoir using the pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the ferrofluid before flowing the ferrofluid from the reservoir onto the upstream region of the aerodynamic surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the ferrofluid on the aerodynamic surface through induction heating.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a second magnetic field, wherein the second magnetic field is arranged relative to the aerodynamic surface, and wherein the second magnetic field directs movement of the ferrofluid on the aerodynamic surface from the upstream region to the downstream region.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering the ferrofluid before flowing the ferrofluid back to the reservoir.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
ceasing flowing of the ferrofluid onto the upstream region of the aerodynamic surface; and
after the flowing has ceased, closing a shutter over the aperture in the downstream region of the aerodynamic surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ferrofluid comprises nanometer-sized magnetic particles.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ferrofluid comprises a hydrophobic fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic surface is at least one of an airfoil, an engine nacelle inlet, or a propeller spinner.

10. An aircraft, comprising:
a reservoir containing a ferrofluid;
a wing, wherein a leading edge surface of the wing includes a first plurality of orifices through which the ferrofluid can be flowed, wherein the wing includes a first at least one aperture arranged on a downstream region of the wing, wherein the ferrofluid on the leading edge surface flows to the downstream region;
at least one first magnetic field source arranged in the wing, wherein the first at least one magnetic field source is oriented to attract ferrofluid that is proximate to the first at least one aperture on the wing into the first at least one aperture; and
a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the pump is configured to flow the ferrofluid from the first at least one aperture to the reservoir and from the reservoir to the first plurality of orifices.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 , further comprising:
an engine, wherein the engine includes a second aerodynamic surface, wherein the second aerodynamic surface includes a second plurality of orifices on an upstream region through which the ferrofluid can be flowed onto the second aerodynamic surface from the reservoir, wherein the second aerodynamic surface includes a second at least one aperture in fluid communication with the reservoir, and wherein the ferrofluid flows from the upstream region to the downstream region;
a second at least one magnetic field source arranged in the engine, wherein the second at least one magnetic field source is oriented to attract ferrofluid that is proximate to the second at least one aperture on the second aerodynamic surface into the second at least one aperture; and
wherein the pump is configured to flow the ferrofluid from the second at least one aperture to the reservoir and from the reservoir to the second plurality of orifices.

12. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the aircraft includes an icing detector, and wherein the aircraft automatically activates the pump upon the icing detector detecting icing conditions.

13. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the reservoir is further in fluid communication with at least one of a hydraulic system and a cooling system onboard the aircraft, and wherein the ferrofluid is used by at least one of the hydraulic system and the cooling system.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , further comprising a filter arranged between the first at least one aperture and the reservoir, wherein the filter removes contaminants from the ferrofluid.

15. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the ferrofluid comprises nanometer-sized magnetic particles.

16. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the ferrofluid comprises a hydrophobic fluid.

17. An aircraft, comprising:
a reservoir containing a ferrofluid;
an aerodynamic surface, wherein a leading edge of the aerodynamic surface includes a first plurality of orifices through which the ferrofluid can be flowed, wherein the aerodynamic surface includes a first at least one aperture arranged on a downstream region of the aerodynamic surface, wherein the ferrofluid on the leading edge flows to the downstream region;
at least one first magnetic field source arranged in the aerodynamic surface, wherein the first at least one magnetic field source is oriented to attract ferrofluid that is proximate to the first at least one aperture on the aerodynamic surface into the first at least one aperture; and
a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the pump is configured to flow the ferrofluid from the first at least one aperture to the reservoir and from the reservoir to the first plurality of orifices.

18. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the aerodynamic surface is an airfoil.

19. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the aerodynamic surface is an engine nacelle inlet.

20. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the aerodynamic surface is a propeller spinner.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mackin Steve G

Classifications

• B64D2033/0233

  comprising de-icing means · CPC title

• B64D15/08 Primary

  exuded from surface · CPC title

• B64D15/22

  Automatic initiation by icing detector · CPC title

• B64D15/12

  by electric heating (heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84) · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title