Considering Thermal Diffusivity as a Design Factor in Multilayer Hybrid Ice Protection Systems

Icing is a major problem that affects the aeronautical sector, which is forced to use anti- and de-icing systems to ensure flight safety. The currently used systems are effective but exhibit high energy consumption. Resistive heating is used to prevent ice accretion or to release it once it has formed. To satisfy all the imposed airworthiness requirements, such as low aerodynamic impact, resistance to lightning strikes, no overheating, etc., multilayer systems are commonly configured with different layers fulfilling specific functions. For example, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner uses dry woven glass fiber fabric on top of the heating element to provide galvanic insulation and dielectric resistance. It satisfies the above-mentioned requirements, but its thermal conductivity is very low, therefore reducing energy efficiency. The thermal distribution of two materials (AA6061 aluminum alloy and PTFE) with significantly different thermal and electrical properties in contact with a heating element was studied. Finite element calculations and experimental testing in an icing wind tunnel were carried out at −12 °C under different convection conditions: natural (0 m/s) and forced (35 and 70 m/s), using specimens of different sizes. Heating elements areas were also varied. AA6061 showed homogeneous heating, whereas differences of up to 80 °C were observed when using PTFE. In addition, the test results highlighted the effect of forced convection and the need to evaluate these systems “in close to operative” conditions. The calculation results proved to it be an interesting tool for studying the behavior of the systems avoiding extensive testing.