Sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371173-B1
Application number	US-202418629700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2024
Priority date	Jan 17, 2024
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system is provided. The system includes at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device and an energy storage device. Responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device stores the electrical power in the energy storage device. Responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device generates continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, comprising:
at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device; and
an energy storage device,
wherein, responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, storing, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, the electrical power in the energy storage device, and
wherein, responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, generating, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of a leading edge of an aircraft structure of an aircraft and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing utilizes the electrical power from at least one of a power source or the energy storage device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one deicing device,
wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing, by the at least one deicing device, the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic high-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one deicing device is at least one of a high-frequency ultrasonic prestressed transducer, a high-frequency ultrasonic patch, or a high-frequency ultrasonic disk, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one deicing device,
wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing, by the at least one deicing device, the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic low-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one deicing device is a low-frequency patch, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

8. An aircraft, comprising:
an aircraft structure; and
a sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system comprises:
at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device; and
an energy storage device,
wherein, responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, storing, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, the electrical power in the energy storage device, and
wherein, responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, generating, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure of the aircraft and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

10. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:
a power source,
wherein generating the continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing utilizes the electrical power from at least one of the power source or the energy storage device.

11. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:
at least one deicing device,
wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic high-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the at least one deicing device is at least one of a high-frequency ultrasonic prestressed transducer, a high-frequency ultrasonic patch, or a high-frequency ultrasonic disk, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

13. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:
at least one deicing device,
wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic low-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the at least one deicing device is a low-frequency patch, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

15. A method for sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, an indication of generated electrical power from at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device;
determining, by the controller, whether electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is greater than a first threshold;
responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than the first threshold, storing, by the controller, the electrical power in an energy storage device; and
responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, providing, by the controller, the electrical power to the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device for generating continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Selvaraj Sugumaran
• Botura Galdemir C
• Hu Jin
• Ching Nathaniel
• Patil Rhushikesh
• Dattatri Shyam Kumar

Classifications

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title

• B64D15/20

  Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing · CPC title

• H02N2/186

  Vibration harvesters · CPC title

• H10N30/20

  with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators · CPC title

• H10N30/30

  with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors · CPC title