The optimization method of wing ice shape regulation based on quantitative assessment of flight risk

Abstract

Abstract Ice accretion on airfoils deteriorates aerodynamic characteristics and threats flight safety. Seriously, airborne de-icing system is uncertain to remove ice on the aircraft completely, and ice tolerant flight still exists. Plasma ice shape regulation is an emerging de-icing technology. The continuous ice is cut into intermittent ice by the thermal effect of the plasma actuator. Different actuator arrangement schemes are selected, forming different intermittent ice. As ice tolerant flight exists, the internal relationship between arrangement of ice shape and flight risk is a key problem that needs to be solved in application of plasma ice shape regulation technology. A method to quantify flight risk under ice shape regulation conditions is proposed. Wind tunnel tests with simulation ice were carried out based on the swept wing scaled model, obtaining the aerodynamic parameters. The quantitative assessment of flight risk based on flight safety boundaries was conducted. The results show that the flight risk decreases from level 2 to level 4 when the ratio of the width of single regulation ice to the mean aerodynamic chord of the wing is 0.15. Meanwhile, the flight quality was evaluated and increased from level 2 to level 1 compared with full ice configuration. The evaluation method based on quantitative assessment of flight risk can provide technical references for optimizing schemes of ice shape regulation, applying to flight safety analysis under ice shape regulation conditions.