Propeller Auxiliary Systems - Essay Example

Through electrical leads, electric power is transferred from the aircraft system into the propeller hub and finally to the blade elements through flexible connectors. A device control system is controlled by the pilot by use of on-off switches. There is also a master switch for all deice systems and a toggle switch for each propeller. Many deice systems may also include additional selector switch which is useful in adjusting for heavy or light icing conditions and enhance automatic switching thus do not need manual switching on-off by the pilot (Filippone, 2012).

Icing control is achieved by conversion of electrical energy into heat energy within the heating element. Effective and balanced ice removal is crucial in managing excessive vibrations and is accomplished by controlling any variations in the heating current within the blade elements to ensure there is the similar degree of heating on opposite sides of the propeller blades (Filippone, 2012). This type of anti-icing system is usually designed to apply power to the heating elements to remove ice after its formation and avoid excessive accumulation.

In this regard, proper control of heating intervals is necessary to prevent runback. When heat supplied is just enough to melt the ice formed but insufficient to evaporate water formed, water will flow to unheated areas of the blade, forms ice and results into uncontrolled icing. Cycling timers are therefore used to energize heating elements circuits for a period between fifteen and thirty seconds (Filippone, 2012). Deicing electrical control systems consist of ammeters, on-off switches, current limiters, and circuit breakers.

Overheating of the element is controlled by using propeller deicing system only when the propellers are rotating and during short test periods of time especially during takeoff or system inspection checklist.ReferencesFilippone, A. (2012). Advanced Aircraft Flight Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press