A High-Efficiency Actuator for Aircraft Deicing

The proposed innovation is an efficient deicing system for aircraft leadingedges using polycrystalline piezo-electric-based active-fiber composites.NASA and the entire aircraft industry need this technology to improve thesafety of aircraft operations under icing conditions while minimizing theimpact of ice removal on aircraft weight and fuel consumption. We proposeto use a composite structure consisting of a polymer matrix embedded withpiezoelectric fibers, driven by a highly efficient electronic controller.Polycrystalline actuators can achieve substantial strain levels (that arehigh enough) to break the ice, which are then carried away in the slipstream. The controller actuates the composite to break ice films, thenrecovers the unused actuation energy for very low net power consumption.In Phase I, we will demonstrate the feasibility of using the actuator toprevent ice buildup on aircraft leading edge surfaces by fabricating amodel deicing system, evaluating performance in a sophisticated icingtunnel which simulates in-flight icing conditions, and designing aprototype system for demonstration in Phase II.