A novel anti/de-icing system combining heat expansion film and electric heating for helicopter rotor

A novel anti/de-icing system combining heat expansion film and electric heating for helicopter rotor based on composite materials has been developed. The device is installed on the surface of the helicopter rotor icing area, which main parts include: rotor skin, electric anti/de-icing system, heat expansion film anti/de-icing system and icing sensor used to detecting ice thickness of rotor. Heat expansion film anti/de-icing system includes heating expansion film, check valve, air compressor that used in the engine bleed air and inflating the expansion film, pump that used to close the heat expansion of film, pressure gauge, hot gas pipelines and icing sensors; Electrical anti/de-icing system includes heating wire pads, heat transfer layer, heat insulation layer, voltage switch that used to adjust the heating intensity, multi-channel controller that used to control the different series of heating pad and icing sensor used to detect rotor icing thickness. In this paper, the simulation results present that the innovation anti-de icing system can effectively detect and prevent icing on helicopter rotor in real time and the anti-de icing work can be done in a short time, low energy consumption and thoroughly. The invention can meet the anti-de icing requirements in various bad weather conditions and different freezing conditions.