Patent ID: 7217091

Claim:
A method for deicing a rotor blade, said rotor blade having a blade root, a blade tip, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, said rotor blade operably coupled to a hub of a turbine, said method comprising: circulating heated air through an outflow channel from the blade root towards the blade tip wherein the outflow channel extends along the leading edge of the blade; recirculating the heated air via a return channel from the blade tip to the blade root, whereupon said recirculated heated air becomes returned air wherein the return channel is positioned between the outflow channel and at least a portion of a center line, said center line extending from the blade tip to the blade root between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the rotor blade; at least partially insulating the heated air in the outflow channel from the blade root to the blade tip utilizing the returned air; and using a heating element to reheat the returned air, wherein the heating element is configured to adjust at least one of a temperature or a volume of the recirculated heated air.