Innovative Concepts for Composite Leading Edge Self-Monitoring Anti/De-icing System

The accumulation of ice on rotor blades while in-flight has been responsible for millions of dollars in damage and loss of life. Current blade ice protection systems are thermal-based and have very demanding power requirements and, therefore, are typically never used and in some cases permanently disabled. Further, advanced composite materials are now being used in rotor blade designs. Overheating of these composite materials as a result of using the thermal ice protection systems while flying in icing conditions can cause blade damage. Damage to the composite materials during flight in general is a critical safety concern and there currently is no way of assessing the health of these materials during flight. Therefore, innovative approaches are needed for both ice protection and structural health monitoring of composite leading edges. During Phase I of the project, FBS and Penn State uniquely demonstrated the feasibility of using a single ultrasonic actuator/sensor to accomplish three things: (1) ice protection, (2) SHM, and (3) ice accretion sensing. The Phase II work efforts will be used to optimize the ultrasonic actuator/sensor geometry and integrate an array of sensors into a representative composite blade section which will then be tested and evaluated under rotating icing conditions.