Rotorcraft Ice Protection Systems
LDI thermo electric rotor blade ice protection systems are designed for main rotor blades and tail rotor blades for helicopter systems as well as for aircraft propellers . The systems feature highest durabilaty and efficiency - low electrical power consumption and clean aerodynamics and may also be applied on all other areas where Ice Protection is necessary like empennage, nacelle, air-intakes, radomes, wings and propellers.
Rotor Ice Protection Systems
Rotors and Propellers
LDI Rotor blade Ice Protection Systems are built in a much simpler, thinner, and more robust way in comparison to conventional systems. The systems may be layed out so there is no temperature sensoring necessary on the blade which aditionally reduces complexity and failure rate
LDI Rotor blade Ice Protection Systems may be fully integrated in the composite structure for improved aerodynamics and light weight.
The power consumption of the LDI system is considerable lower compared to state of the art rotor heating systems (Electro-thermal Graphite Heaters behind 0.04” thick stainless steel versus Villinger heat-able coating).
Tail Rotor De-Ice system
Tail Rotor Ice Protection Systems may be fully implemented into the blades
Conventional de-icing boots create an aerodynamically unclean surface on the tail rotor leading edge, resulting in a permanent loss in performance. These disadvantages do not apply to LDI integrated tail rotor de-icing systems. Highly damage tolerant and integrated into the blade structure, our systems guarantee improved airplane performance with lower energy consumption. Icing tunnel tests were done by us to check ice accreation on tail rotors.To analyse the de-ice function of the rotating rotor a special camera technique was used to film the rotating rotors in a way that the blades appear still and the de-ice function can be watched in real time. These tests showed a significant icing problem on tail rotor blades due to rotation speed and angles of attack they are operated. Ice was forming not only on the leading edge where conventoional de-icer pads may be placed – but also over other parts of the blade – resulting in significant performance loss of the tail rotor. Since by the LDI de-icing technology the whole blade can be covered such icing problems outside the leading edges can be avoided due to implementation of the heaters into the blade anywhere without disturbing its aerodynamics.
This allows to build heaters as big as necessary and to cover all parts, which may get iced without any loss of the tail rotors aerodynamic performance.
RISP
Rotor Ice Shed Protection
Shed ice from rotor blades is a ballistic concern for:
- Tilt Rotor Aircraft - may damage components on the fuselage
- Engines - may cause internal damage or ”flame out”
- Wind Turbines - danger for humans and animals
Villinger Heating Technology
Damage Demonstration Video
Ice Protection on other parts
LDI Ice Protection Systems can be designed to be applied or implemented on various shapes and materials – no matter if composite or metal. Systems which are light weight, robust, simple in handling and without any aerodynamic panelty.
Ice Protection system
Pitot strut
Tests in Icing wind tunnel show Ice accreation on pitot tube extension strut in a very short time without Ice protection system – permantely ice free with LDI ice protection system even in servere Icing conditiones
Ice Protection system
Engine Intake
LDI Anti-Ice system fully integrated in composite structure
Anti-Ice system
Radome
LDI Ice Protection System for Radomes of sensitive electronic equipmentLDI Ice Protection System for Radomes of sensitive electronic equipment
