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US 2020/0032670 A1Published application
Systems and methods for fan blade de-icing
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsRobert J. Morris, Gary D. Roberge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anti-ice arrangement for a gas turbine engine may comprise an engine static structure, a fan blade housed for rotation within the engine static structure, and a magnetic field source mounted in close proximity to the fan blade and configured for inducing eddy currents in the fan blade to increase a surface temperature of the fan blade.
Claims20
An anti-ice arrangement for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- an engine static structure;
- a fan blade housed for rotation within the engine static structure;
- and
- a magnetic field source mounted in close proximity to the fan blade and configured for inducing eddy currents in the fan blade to increase a surface temperature of the fan blade.
1 more element
A method for anti-ice control, comprising:
- sensing, by a controller, an ambient air temperature;
- sensing, by the controller, an ambient air humidity;
- estimating, by the controller, a forward aircraft speed;
- estimating, by the controller, a fan blade speed;
- calculating, by the controller, a fan blade surface temperature;
- determining, by the controller, if icing conditions are favorable;
- and
- commanding, by the controller, power on to an electromagnet in response to the icing conditions being determined favorable.
5 more elements
A method for anti-ice control, comprising:
- receiving, by a controller, a vibration sensor signal;
- detecting, by the controller, an imbalance generated by asymmetric ice shedding from a fan blade via the vibration sensor signal;
- and
- commanding, by the controller, power on to an electromagnet in response to icing conditions being determined favorable.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.