Patent ID: 6642490
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: B64D,F02C,H05B,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
A compact millimeter wave system for preventing icing and de-icing outer surfaces of shell structures exposed to meterological influences and including form-stable hollow structure of plastic or compound materials with dielectric properties, at least one millimeter wave source with a controllable power output and a hollow conductor flanged to said millimeter source and including an uncoupling system for the release of monochromatic millimeter waves with a frequency&gE;20 GHz,said shell structure including a front area which is subject to icing, consisting of a laminated structure including a dielectric compound material and a metallic skin disposed on the outside of said shell structure front area and being in electrical contact with other adjacent electrically conductive components so that a hollow shell space surrounded by metal is formed, an independently operable millimeter wave system disposed in each such hollow shell space, said millimeter wave system comprising a millimeter wave source with a power supply, an uncoupling structure connected to said millimeter wave source and extending in the interior of said shell structure along the front area thereof such that the millimeter waves uncoupled from said uncoupling structure reach the inner surface of said compound material in the form of a wavefront and penetrates into the compound material whereby the compound material is heated internally and the heat is conducted rapidly to the outer surface of the compound material from where the heat is removed so that the inner surface of the compound material remains substantially velow the delamination temperature of about 130Â° C. of the compound material while, at the interface between the compound material and the metal skin, a predetermined area energy density of up to 60 kW/m2 may be maintained when the metal skin is covered by clear ice, whereby the metal skin can be maintained at a temperature of +10Â° C. to 70Â° C. depending on the meteorological conditions so as to de-ice the metal skin or prevent icing thereof when the millimeter wave system is in operation.