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Ice protection and flow control system based on plasma discharge for aircraft and wind turbines
This system makes use of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators to perform simultaneous flow control, ice detection, and ice removal with application on aircraft or wind turbines installed in cold climates. The plasma discharge generates an induced wall jet that allows to control the adjacent flow by delaying the flow separation and, simultaneously, the plasma heat dissipated can be used to prevent ice adhesion or melt the ice accumulated. In addition, by using a patented method, the actuator allows to detect the presence of ice, water or air on the surface and operates as a smart device that senses the presence of ice and responds by switching between different operation modes.
Ice accumulation is a major issue for aeronautics industry. This type of device is flexible and can be applied in aircraft complex surfaces or components which are prone to icing problems. In addition, cold climates usually present larger available wind power, however, the icing accumulation on turbine blades creates imbalances that may damage the wind turbine components. By implementing this new device, the energy generation efficiency can be improved and the ice accumulation can be prevented on wind turbines.
