This project aims to determine the feasibility of using heating coils that induce eddy currents to prevent ice buildup on jet engine fan blade tips. With eddy current probes already built into the fan case for blade tip arrival timing, it is possible that a second use of the probes for eddy current heating can be implemented on future engines. Previous static testing, static modeling, and low-speed dynamic testing have proved that induction currents in metals paired with the material’s resistivity generate heat. To further demonstrate the eddy current heating principle in a dynamic setting, the senior design project includes a rotating computer simulation to predict the effects on different applied power values, materials, and blade distances to the coil/probe. A higher-speed physical test rig with material coupons and an induction coil will be built to compare the model to physical results. Due to safety requirements and lab capabilities, the high-speed tests will not match the true operating speeds of a jet engine, but the model tuned from empirical tests can potentially be used to extrapolate heating conditions to the high speeds of a commercial or military jet engine.

Our team collaborated with Electrical and Computer Engineering 5 on this project.