Numerical and Experimental Investigations of Deicing Performance for the Pneumatic Impulse Deicing Method

Abstract

Wind turbines operating in cold regions are more likely to sustain extreme icing, causing the degradation of aerodynamic performance and the loss of wind energy output. This paper proposed a pneumatic impulse deicing method based on the conventional pneumatic deicing boot. This method’s simplified numerical simulation model was built using the commercial software ABAQUS to explore whether this method can deice. After that, experimental investigations were carried out in an artificial climate chamber to verify the deicing performance of specimens using this proposed method. Numerical and experimental results show that the pneumatic impulse deicing method could eliminate the ice layer with a smaller displacement and shorter time than the conventional pneumatic deicing boot. The ice layer’s thickening and inflation pressure enhancement benefit the deicing performance. Experiment results proved that the pneumatic impulse deicing method performs better under inflation pressures of 1.5 MPa and 2.5 MPa with an ice thickness of 6 mm or 8 mm.