KR-20260066108-A - System and method for managing icing accumulation during aircraft flight

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for managing icing accumulation that may occur during the flight of an aircraft in a manner such as de-icing, de-icing, or other methods. An exemplary system and method may optionally modulate propeller parameters in a manner that does not interfere with the flight path; manage icing accumulation by guiding oil from the lubrication and cooling path to a target section of a surface prone to icing accumulation in a manner that does not excessively increase the total volume of oil, require a larger pump, or complicate the system; or generate heat in a target area of a propeller assembly by an electric heating system utilizing propeller motion.

Inventors

• 레오폴드 데이비드
• 스피테리 스티븐 마이클
• 마리우스 디에데릭
• 드로안디 지오반니
• 툴시안 바랏
• 그레이브스 스콧 마이클
• 데사이 수제이

Assignees

• 아처 에비에이션 인크.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250402

Priority Date

20240830

Claims (20)

1. It is a method for managing aircraft icing accumulation, and the method is, Step of determining the icing conditions of the aircraft; and The method includes a step of performing propeller modulation based on icing conditions, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation is The method includes the step of modulating a first propeller parameter in conjunction with the modulation of a second propeller parameter of one or more propellers of a first set of aircraft, and A method in which the first propeller parameter and the second propeller parameter are different parameters, each comprising one of the revolutions per minute (RPM), blade pitch angle, torque, propeller tilt angle, or propeller angle position centered on the propeller blade rotation axis of one or more propellers of the first set.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter includes RPM.
3. A method according to paragraph 2, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes the step of increasing the RPM of one or more propellers of the first set to at least 50%.
4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes the step of increasing the RPM of one or more propellers of the first set to at least 80% of the maximum RPM.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter includes a blade pitch angle.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes changing the blade pitch angle of one or more propellers of the first set by at least 5 degrees.
7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter includes torque.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes the step of repeatedly braking and accelerating one or more propellers of a first set to include vibrations in the propeller blades of one or more propellers of the first set.
9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein one of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter includes a propeller tilt angle.
10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes changing the propeller tilt angle of one or more propellers of a first set by at least 10 degrees during a first time interval.
11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein one of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter includes a propeller angle position centered on the propeller blade rotation axis.
12. In Paragraph 11, One of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter comprises a propeller angle position centered on a propeller blade rotation axis, and the step of modulating the propeller angle position comprises moving at least one propeller of one or more propellers of a first set from a first angle position to a second angle position, wherein the at least one propeller comprises at least a first blade and a second blade; In the first angle position, the first surface of one of the first blade or the second blade faces away from the forward airflow, and the second surface of one of the first blade or the second blade faces toward the forward airflow. In the second angle position, the second surface faces away from the forward airflow, and the first surface faces toward the forward airflow.
13. In paragraph 12, the method wherein the first surface comprises the tip of the first blade and the second surface comprises the tip of the second blade.
14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the first surface includes the leading edge of the first blade and the second surface includes the trailing edge of the first blade.
15. In claim 12, the method wherein the first surface includes the leading edge of the first blade and the second surface includes the leading edge of the second blade.
16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the first surface includes the rear edge of the first blade and the second surface includes the rear edge of the second blade.
17. In claim 12, the method wherein at least one propeller comprises a tilt propeller, and the other of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter comprises a propeller tilt angle.
18. In claim 12, the method wherein at least one propeller comprises one of a lift propeller or a tilt propeller, and the other of the first propeller parameter or the second propeller parameter comprises a propeller torque.
19. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the step of modulating the second propeller parameter is configured to compensate for the effect of modulating the first propeller parameter on flight characteristics.
20. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the step of modulating the second propeller parameter is configured to perform icing management together with modulating the first propeller parameter.

Description

System and method for managing icing accumulation during aircraft flight Cross-reference regarding related applications The present application claims the benefit of priority to International Application No. PCT/US2024/044891, titled “Systems and Methods for Managing Ice Accretions During Flight of Aircraft,” filed on August 30, 2024, which in turn claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/587,117, titled “System and Method for Managing Ice Accretions During Flight of Aircraft,” filed on September 30, 2023, the contents of all these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Technology field The present disclosure generally relates to the field of powered aircraft. More specifically, without limitation, the present disclosure relates to innovations in tilt-rotor aircraft using electric propulsion systems. Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for preventing or mitigating icing accumulation on electric aircraft. Other aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to improvements in icing prevention or mitigation that may be used in other types of transport but provide specific advantages to aircraft. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft generally comprise one or more electric propulsion units (“EPU”), each EPU comprising at least one (wholly or partially) electric or hybrid electric motor and at least one propeller. The propeller comprises multiple propeller blades (sometimes formed integrally or integrated) that rotate around a propeller hub when mechanically driven by a propeller shaft. Each EPU generates thrust by converting electric power from the motor(s) into mechanical shaft power to rotate the propeller blades. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for preventing or mitigating (collectively referred to as “managing”) icing accumulation during flight of any aircraft. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for managing icing accumulation of an aircraft, the method comprising: determining icing conditions of the aircraft; and performing propeller modulation based on the icing conditions, wherein the step of performing propeller modulation includes inducing a first icing management cycle on one or more propellers of a first set of the aircraft and inducing a second icing management cycle on one or more propellers of a second set of the aircraft, wherein one or more propellers of the first set are different from one or more propellers of the second set, and the first icing management cycle occurs at a first time interval different from a second time interval of the second icing management cycle. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a propeller assembly for an aircraft, the propeller assembly comprising: a propeller; a motor assembly coupled to the propeller; a heat exchanger; an oil passage configured to thermally couple the heat exchanger to the motor assembly, wherein the oil passage comprises a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and a nacelle mechanically coupled to the motor assembly, wherein the nacelle comprises an air inlet configured to guide air to the heat exchanger, the air inlet comprising a lower lip for a forward flight configuration and an upper lip located opposite the lower lip, wherein the lower lip is located further from the motor assembly than the upper lip, the first segment passes through the motor assembly; the second segment passes through the heat exchanger; the third segment passes along the lower lip, and the oil passage bypasses the upper lip. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a propeller assembly for an aircraft, wherein the propeller assembly comprises a hub and a plurality of propeller blades, each of which is configured to include a blade channel within the propeller blade and to circulate fluid; a motor assembly configured to rotate the propeller about an axis of rotation; and an oil passage configured to circulate oil through the motor assembly and through each blade channel of the plurality of propeller blades to thermally couple the motor assembly to the plurality of propeller blades, wherein the propeller assembly is configured to transfer heat from the motor assembly to an external environment outside the propeller assembly through heat conduction through the propeller blades. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a propeller assembly for an aircraft, wherein the propeller assembly comprises: a propeller comprising a hub and a plurality of propeller blades, wherein each of the plurality of propeller blades comprises a blade channel within the propeller blade and is configured to circulate fluid; a motor assembly configured to rotate the propeller about an axis of rotation; and an oil passage configured to circulate oil through the motor assembly and through each blade channel of the plurality of propeller blades to therma