Loop Heat pipe Anti Icing System Development Program Summary 2000-01-2493
This paper describes a NASA sponsored Phase II SBIR program to develop a passive aircraft anti icing system. The system takes waste heat from the engine or hydraulic system and passively transports this heat to the engine inlet to prevent ice formation. Significant hardware developments described in this paper include the demonstration of a 3.8 kW Loop Heat Pipe, the incorporation of LHP condenser tubing into the composite skin of a UAV engine cowl, and the. demonstration of “docking” LHPs that can be plugged together in series to permit removal of LHPs embedded into aircraft structures. The system was successfully tested at the BF Goodrich Icing Wind Tunnel for the worst case icing conditions for the Predator-B flight envelope.
