Aircraft icing and thermo-mechanical expulsion de-icing technology

The topic of this thesis is Aircraft Icing and Aircraft Icing and Thermo-Mechanical Expulsion De-icing Technology. The main objectives are to investigate aircraft icing meteorology and effects on aircraft, ice protection systems and thermo-mechanical expulsion de-icing technology. Initially, the research project focuses on aircraft icing meteorology, ice accumulation and icing effects on flight safety. A basic understanding of aircraft icing is explained, including icing conditions and parameters, ice detection, ice accretion shapes, and icing effects in terms of different airframe surfaces. Ice protection systems are employed to prevent the icing hazards and ensure flight safety. The conventional and novel ice protection technologies are investigated and their characteristics are explained. Thermo-mechanical expulsion de-icing technology is selected as the research topic because of its typical characteristics of lower power required and high de-icing efficiency. Methods are explored to assess power consumption of thermo-mechanical expulsion de-icing system. In addition, a thermo-mechanical expulsion de-icing system architecture is explored for a civil aircraft and system power consumption is calculated. In order to explain the system design characteristics, conventional electro-thermal de-icing system architecture is designed to show the contrasts in terms of power consumption, de-icing efficiency, cost and mass. This novel ice protection system has better results in power consumption and de-icing performance, allowing long time flight in icing conditions. It can compensate the disadvantages of heavier mass and higher cost because there is no need to escape from icing encounters immediately and fuel penalties are reduced sequentially.