Electro-mechanical de-icing system for a non-rotating structure of small and medium sized helicopters

Abstract

There is a high demand for de-icing systems with low energy consumption for small and medium sized helicopters. De-icing systems based on the electro-mechanical principle appear to be particularly energy efficient since they take advantage of structural resonance frequencies. However, this approach has its limitations in terms of structural conformity, operational aspects and environmental conditions. This paper investigates the design process of such an electro-mechanical de-icing system as well as its performance on a real helicopter structure during realistic icing conditions in a laboratory environment. A special focus is on the non-consideration of an ice layer during the design process. The optimized system is subsequently confirmed by experimental results that will help to bring the approach further towards industrial applications.