Analysis of Piezoelectric Ice Protection Systems Combined with Ice-Phobic Coatings

The aeronautics industry is looking for ice protection systems consuming less energy. Electromechanical and especially piezoelectric solutions are a promising area of research for reducing average consumptions. This article provides an analytical model of a simple structure to assess the power and voltage required to obtain the delamination of the accumulated layer of ice at the support/ice interface. This model also allows analyzing the impact of the resonance frequencies used for supplying piezoelectric actuators on the tensile stress into PZT materials. Finally, this article assesses the effect of different ice-phobic coatings combined with piezoelectric ice protection systems. Experimental measurements of ice adhesion for different ice-phobic coatings allow evaluating the shear stress at which ice is detached from the surface. These results are then used to estimate - thanks to the proposed analytical model - the additional gain of power that would be provided by the use of such coatings