MULTILAYER STRUCTURE FOR DEICING AN AIRCRAFT AIRFOIL COMPONENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

• Main Authors: GAROFANO, Jacquelynn, SCHMIDT, Wayde, DARDONA, Sameh, SHEEDY, Paul, PIECH, Marcin, LIN, Ray-Sing
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 27.11.2019
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING

A multilayer structure for deicing an aircraft airfoil component includes an electrically and thermally insulating bottom layer formed in a defined pattern, preferably directly on the aircraft airfoil component, an electrothermal middle layer of electrically resistant heater element arrays formed in the defined pattern on the electrically and thermally insulating bottom layer, and a thermally conductive and electrically insulating top layer encapsulating the electrically and thermally insulating bottom layer and the electrothermal middle layer of electrically resistant heater element arrays. The multilayer structure may be directly applied to the airfoil component by direct writing/additive manufacturing, which may be done with the assistance of a multi-axis robot.