Automatic ice and snow removing device and method for radome

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of antennas, and particularly discloses an automatic ice and snow removing device and method for a radome, and the device comprises a gas compressor, a gas storage tank, a circulating pump, a heat exchanger and a flexible gas heating coil which are connected in sequence. The flexible gas heating coil pipe is mounted on the surface of the antenna housing and forms a protective layer with heating and deformation functions; the flexible gas heating coil pipe is provided with a gas inlet connected with the heat exchanger and a gas outlet connected with the gas storage tank. A heat preservation layer is formed through the flexible gas heating coil pipe and installed on the surface of the antenna housing, gas is pressurized through the gas compressor and heated through the heat exchanger, the heated and pressurized gas enters the flexible gas heating coil pipe, the flexible gas heating coil pipe is expanded and deformed, and therefore ice and snow on the surface of the flexible gas heating coil pipe are expanded to crack and fall off; the heated gas can effectively exchange heat with ice and snow, so that the ice and snow are melted, and the ice and snow are cleaned more thoroughly; and the ice and snow removing efficiency is greatly improved through the modes of spalling, falling and melting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and more particularly to an automatic deicing and snow removal device and method for a radome. Background Art

[0002] In cold winter, the surface of outdoor equipment is easily affected by snow and ice, resulting in the degradation of the functional performance of electronic equipment. A typical example is outdoor antenna equipment. Due to the influence of freezing rain, heavy snow and other harsh antenna conditions, a thick layer of ice or snow usually accumulates on the surface of the antenna cover, and the thickness of the ice layer can reach several centimeters or even thicker. This has a strong attenuation effect on the high-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted from the inside of the antenna. According to literature research, when the thickness of ice and snow accumulated on the surface of the antenna cover is 33cm, due to the attenuation effect of wet ice and snow, the gain loss can reach 8.5dB when the antenna operating frequency is 11GHz. Therefore, in harsh working environments, de-icing and de-snowing of equipment such as antennas is very necessary to ensure the normal operation of the equipment, and it is also a key technology to ensure the completion of the mission.

[0003] The traditional way to remove ice and snow from the radome is manual, which can be done by supplying preheated gas to the ice surface to melt and remove the ice, or by spraying chemical deicing antifreeze on the ice surface to melt the ice and snow. Or use scrapers, brushes and other tools to physically remove ice and snow from the equipment surface.

[0004] Manual snow and ice removal cannot remove the snow and ice on the surface of the antenna cover in time, and manual cleaning is not possible in some special application sites. The antenna shown in the figure below is installed on a tower tens of meters high. In bad weather, manual snow and ice removal cannot be performed.

[0005] At present, there are two types of automatic deicing methods for antenna covers: mechanical and electric heating:

[0006] The typical method of mechanical snow and ice removal is to design an automated robotic arm, use a motor or other power to drive the robotic arm to do reciprocating motion, and install a brush head on the robotic arm, which contacts the surface of the radome, thereby removing the ice and snow on the surface of the radome under the drive of mechanical force. This method can solve most of the snow accumulation problems on the surface of the radome, but it is not effective in removing ice in large-scale icing caused by freezing rain and other environments.

[0007] Another mechanical way to remove ice and snow is to install an airbag array on the surface of the radome. The airbag is made of elastic rubber and other materials. The airbag is cyclically inflated and deflated so that the ice and snow on the surface of the airbag breaks and falls under the action of gravity. This method can effectively remove ice and snow from most of the surface of the radome, but due to the gaps between the airbags, the broken ice and snow in the gaps cannot be cleaned well. In addition, the airbag repeatedly expands and contracts in this way, and its material life is short. Due to the large impact force of the expansion and contraction of the airbag, the airbag needs to be well fixed on the surface of the radome by riveting and other processes, and the manufacturing process of the radome is relatively difficult.

[0008] The electric heating deicing method usually embeds electric heating wires or heating films in the inner wall of the radome or inside the cover body, and melts the ice and snow on the surface of the radome through electric heating. This method requires precise temperature control of the electric heating wires or electric heating films to avoid overheating and damage to the radome structure. Temperature sensors usually need to be embedded inside the radome, so the manufacturing process of the radome is very difficult and costly. Since the radome itself has poor thermal conductivity, the power of the electric heating material needs to be controlled within a small range, which reduces the deicing efficiency. Moreover, the electric heating material is made of metal or other conductive materials. When powered on, it will interfere with the transmission and reception of internal antenna signals.

[0009] Existing mechanical snow and ice removal systems, such as brush-sweeping snow and ice removal, require an additional complex and bulky brush-sweeping mechanism, and the de-icing effect is not good. Although the airbag expansion ice-breaking snow removal method can remove a large part of the snow and ice, it is not effective in removing snow and ice from some airbag seams and depressions, and the airbag vibration places high demands on the manufacturing and installation process of the snow and ice removal system, and the implementation cost is also high. The integrated heating snow-melting antenna cover using electric heating in the prior art has a high manufacturing cost, and a heating wire network needs to be embedded inside the antenna cover. The antenna cover is difficult to manufacture and the price is high, and it is impossible to modify the existing old model antenna for snow and ice removal, and the application range is narrow. At present, the biggest problem with this type of electric heating antenna cover is that the heating wire will have a certain impact on the signal reception and transmission of the antenna. Summary of the invention

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a device and method for automatically removing ice and snow from a radome;

[0011] The solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is:

[0012] An automatic deicing device for a radome, comprising a gas compressor, a gas storage tank, a circulation pump, a heat exchanger and a flexible gas heating coil installed on the surface of the radome, which are connected in sequence, and the flexible gas heating coil forms a protective layer with heating and deformation functions on the surface of the radome;

[0013] The flexible air heating coil is provided with an air inlet connected to the heat exchanger, and an air outlet connected to the air storage tank.

[0014] In some possible implementations, a filter drier is provided between the gas storage tank and the circulation pump.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the device further includes a detector installed above the surface of the radome and used to detect the thickness of ice and snow.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the heat exchanger and the flexible air heating coil are connected via an insulated pipe.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the flexible air heating coil is made of elastic non-metallic material, has a temperature resistance range of -60 to 150° C., and a dielectric constant of 3 to 5.

[0018] In some possible implementations, the flexible air heating coil is made of a polyurethane film material, and the wall thickness of the flexible air heating coil is 0.2-0.3 mm.

[0019] In some possible implementations, the flexible air heating coil is arranged in an S shape.

[0020] In some possible embodiments, the protective layer is in a spherical cap structure, and the flexible air heating coil includes an air inlet pipe arranged at the apex of the spherical cap structure and having an air inlet, an air supply pipe arranged circumferentially around the air inlet pipe and connected to the air inlet pipe at one end, and a manifold arranged coaxially with the air inlet pipe and sleeved on the outside of the air inlet pipe; the manifold in a circular shape is connected to one end of the air supply pipe away from the air inlet pipe; and the air outlet is arranged on the manifold.

[0021] In some possible implementations, the device further includes a control unit connected to the detector, the gas compressor, the gas storage tank, the circulation pump, and the heat exchanger, respectively.

[0022] A method for automatically removing ice and snow from a radome, based on the automatic ice and snow removal device for a radome described above, specifically comprises the following steps:

[0023] When the accumulated thickness of ice and snow on the surface of the radome exceeds the requirement, the gas compressor presses the gas into the gas tank and starts the circulation pump. Under the action of the circulation pump, the gas flows out of the gas tank and becomes clean and dry gas after passing through the filter dryer.

[0024] The clean and dry gas passes through the circulation pump and enters the gas heat exchanger to be heated to the set temperature;

[0025] The heated gas flows into the flexible gas heating coil, causing the flexible gas heating coil to expand under pressure, breaking up the ice and snow covering the protective layer, and melting the ice and snow through the heated gas;

[0026] The gas after heat exchange enters the gas storage tank;

[0027] Repeat until the ice and snow are processed to meet the requirements.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The present invention forms a thermal insulation layer through a flexible air-heating coil and installs it on the surface of the antenna cover. The gas is pressurized by a gas compressor and heated by a heat exchanger, so that the heated and pressurized gas enters the flexible air-heating coil, causing the flexible air-heating coil to expand and deform, thereby causing the ice and snow on its surface to burst and fall. Since the gas in the flexible air-heating coil is heated, the heated gas can also effectively exchange heat with the ice and snow, thereby melting the ice and snow, and clearing the ice and snow more thoroughly; the ice and snow removal efficiency is greatly improved by the bursting, falling and melting methods;

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the present invention does not increase the difficulty of manufacturing the radome and can be applied to radomes in use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 This is a working principle diagram of the automatic snow and ice removal device for the antenna cover in the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the protective layer, the radome, and the ice and snow layer in the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 A top view of the flexible gas heating coil in the present invention arranged in an S shape on the antenna cover;

[0034] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The cross-sectional view at A~A in the middle;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the protective layer and the cylindrical antenna cover in the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 It is a side view of the protective layer and the cylindrical radome in the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure when the protective layer in the present invention is a spherical cap structure;

[0038] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the detector, protective layer and antenna cover in the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the ice and snow removal method of the present invention;

[0040] Among them: 1. gas compressor; 2. gas storage tank; 3. filter dryer; 4. circulation pump; 5. heat exchanger; 6. flexible gas heating coil; 61. air inlet pipe; 62. gas transmission pipe; 63. conduit; 64. elbow; 7. antenna cover; 8. detector; 9. bracket; 10. fixing belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral body; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. The "first", "second" and similar words mentioned in this application do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, "one" or "one" and other similar words do not indicate a quantity restriction, but indicate the existence of at least one. In the implementation of this application, "and / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "multiple" refers to two or more. For example, multiple positioning columns refer to two or more positioning columns. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0042] The present invention is described in detail below.

[0043] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown:

[0044] An automatic deicing device for a radome 7 comprises a gas compressor 1, a gas storage tank 2, a filter dryer 3, a circulation pump 4, a heat exchanger 5 and a flexible gas heating coil 6 installed on the surface of the radome, which are connected in sequence. The flexible gas heating coil 6 forms a protective layer with heating and deformation functions on the surface of the radome;

[0045] The flexible air heating coil 6 is provided with an air inlet connected to the heat exchanger 5 and an air outlet connected to the gas storage tank 2; the protective layer is installed on the surface of the antenna cover 7, and the entire surface of the antenna cover 7 is covered by the protective layer, so that ice and snow can only accumulate on the protective layer to form an ice and snow layer; the flexible air heating coil 6 is laid flat on the surface of the antenna cover 7 to form a protective blanket that can be heated by preheating gas, and is fixed to the surface of the antenna cover 7 by an elastic fixing belt 10;

[0046] When in use, whether to perform ice and snow removal is determined based on the thickness of the ice and snow layer on the protective layer. If the thickness of the accumulated ice and snow layer exceeds the allowable value, ice and snow removal is required. The present invention starts to work, and the gas compressor 1 presses the gas into the gas storage tank 2, which provides a stable gas source for the system. After the pressure of the gas storage tank 2 reaches the set value, the circulation pump 4 is started. Preferably, the gas is air.

[0047] Specifically, the pressure in the gas tank 2 is controlled by a pressure relief valve installed on the gas tank 2. When the internal pressure of the gas tank 2 is too high, the pressure relief valve opens to protect the safety of the entire device; when the internal pressure is too low, the gas compressor 1 will inflate the gas tank 2;

[0048] Under the action of the circulation pump 4, the gas is dried by the filter dryer 3 and becomes clean and dry gas and flows into the heat exchanger 5; the dry gas is heated to a predetermined temperature and flows into the flexible gas heating coil 6, so that the temperature of the flexible gas heating coil 6 rises and expands at the same time; since the flexible gas heating coil 6 is in direct contact with the ice and snow layer, the ice and snow will be completely melted or fall off under the action of gravity; the gas after heat exchange will enter the gas storage tank 2 again through the outlet for reuse.

[0049] In some possible implementations, in order to effectively monitor the thickness of the ice and snow layer in real time, a detector 8 is also included, which is installed above the surface of the antenna cover 7 and is used to detect the thickness of the ice and snow. The detector 8 is supported by a bracket 9 and is located at a position on the surface of the antenna cover 7 that is prone to ice formation, and the thickness of the ice and snow layer at the position is monitored. Furthermore, the detector 8 is an ultrasonic detector 8;

[0050] In some possible implementations, in order to effectively realize automatic control, a control unit connected to the detector 8, the gas compressor 1, the gas storage tank 2, the circulation pump 4, and the heat exchanger 5 is also included.

[0051] Specifically, the control unit is connected to the pressure relief valve and the pressure gauge on the gas tank 2; when the pressure gauge transmits the pressure data in the gas tank 2 to the control unit, when the pressure is too high, the control unit controls the pressure relief valve to open and performs the pressure relief operation; when the pressure is too low, the control unit starts the gas compressor 1, and inflates and pressurizes the gas tank 2 through the gas compressor 1; after the pressure of the gas tank 2 reaches the set value; the control unit controls the circulation pump 4 and the heat exchanger 5 to start, and under the drive of the circulation pump 4, the gas passes through the filter dryer 3, the circulation pump 4, and the heat exchanger 5 in turn to obtain clean and high-temperature gas, and then enters the flexible gas heating coil 6 to perform ice and snow layer expansion and melting operations.

[0052] The present invention utilizes a detector 8 to monitor the ice and snow accumulation status on the surface of the antenna cover 7 in real time, and controls the device to be turned on or off according to the monitoring data. When the ice and snow accumulation thickness exceeds a set upper limit, the control system automatically turns on the device, and when the ice and snow accumulation thickness is lower than a set lower limit, the device is turned off, thereby realizing automatic ice and snow removal around the clock, saving energy and ensuring reliable operation of the antenna.

[0053] In some possible implementations, the heat exchanger 5 and the flexible gas heating coil 6 are connected via an insulated pipe to prevent the gas with a higher temperature after heat exchange in the heat exchanger 5 from losing heat when being transported to the flexible gas heating coil 6;

[0054] Furthermore, when the device is used, all connecting pipelines are arranged as heat-insulating pipelines.

[0055] In some possible implementations, the flexible air heating coil 6 is made of elastic non-metallic material, has a temperature resistance range of -60 to 150° C., a dielectric constant of 3 to 5, and low loss to electromagnetic waves.

[0056] Furthermore, the flexible air heating coil 6 is made of polyurethane film material, the wall thickness of the flexible air heating coil is 0.2-0.3 mm, and the thickness of the protective layer formed is 10 mm;

[0057] By adopting the above-mentioned setting, the flexible air heating coil 6 has good elasticity. After the gas enters the flexible air heating coil 6, the flexible air heating coil 6 will expand under the action of pressure, so that the ice and snow layer on the flexible air heating coil 6 will burst and fall off; at the same time, since the gas in the flexible air heating coil 6 is heated by the heat exchanger 5, it will exchange heat with the ice and snow layer, so that the ice and snow layer will melt; the flexible air heating coil 6 adopting the above-mentioned setting will have a wider temperature resistance range to cope with harsh climate environments, and has a low dielectric constant to reduce the loss of antenna performance.

[0058] Of course, the flexible gas heating coil 6 can also be made of other non-metallic materials, but it is necessary to ensure that the material has good elasticity and mechanical strength to withstand the pressure of the internal gas.

[0059] In some possible implementations, the flexible air heating coil 6 can be arranged according to the structural form of the antenna cover 7, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6The flexible air heating coil 6 is arranged in an S shape; specifically, the flexible air heating coil 6 includes a plurality of groups of air pipes 62 arranged in parallel, and a bend 64 for connecting two adjacent groups of air pipes 62 on the same side; wherein one end of the first group of air pipes 62 and the last group of air pipes 62 are connected to the bend 64 and the other end is not connected to the bend 64, so that the end of the first group of air pipes 62 not connected to the bend 64 is used as an air inlet, and the end of the last group of air pipes 62 not connected to the bend 64 is used as an air outlet, and all the air pipes 62 are connected through the bend 64; all the air pipes 62 and the bend 64 are laid flat on the surface of the antenna cover 7 to form a heat preservation layer on one side;

[0060] In some possible embodiments, when the antenna cover 7 is spherical, the protective layer is in a spherical cap structure, and the flexible air heating coil 6 includes an air inlet pipe 61 arranged at the apex of the spherical cap structure and having an air inlet, an air supply pipe 62 evenly arranged around the air inlet pipe 61 and connected to the air inlet pipe 61 at one end, and a manifold 63 coaxially arranged with the air inlet pipe 61 and sleeved on the outside of the air inlet pipe 61; the air supply pipe 62 is a plurality of groups and has an arc-shaped structure, so that the air inlet pipe 61, the air supply pipe 62, and the manifold 63 form a spherical cap structure; the annular manifold 63 is connected to one end of the air supply pipe 62 away from the air inlet pipe 61; the air outlet is arranged on the manifold 63; the air inlet pipe 61 is connected to the heat exchanger 5 through an insulation pipe, and then the gas is transported to each group of air supply pipes 62 through the air inlet pipe 61, and then enters the manifold 63 to exchange heat with the ice and snow layer so that the ice and snow layer melts and the ice and snow layer is burst by pressure expansion.

[0061] The gas compressor 1, gas storage tank 2, filter dryer 3, and circulation pump 4 in the present invention can be provided by existing public infrastructure in the environment if conditions permit, so as to simplify the ice and snow removal system of the present invention to the greatest extent and reduce the construction cost of the present invention.

[0062] The present invention uses a protective blanket formed by a flexible air heating coil 6 to cover the surface of the antenna cover 7, which can be fixed by an adhesive or bound to the surface of the antenna cover 7 by a tool such as a fixing belt 10. The device of the present invention can be used for deicing without modifying the existing antenna cover 7, which is low-cost. When designing a new antenna, there is no need to consider the many restrictions of the deicing device on the antenna design.

[0063] A method for automatically removing ice and snow from a radome 7, based on the automatic ice and snow removal device for a radome 7 described above, specifically comprises the following steps:

[0064] When the detector 8 detects that the accumulated thickness of ice and snow on the surface of the radome 7 exceeds the requirement, the control unit controls the gas compressor 1 to start the gas compressor 1 to press the gas into the gas storage tank 2;

[0065] The control unit starts the circulation pump 4 and the heat exchanger 5. Under the action of the circulation pump 4, the gas flows out of the gas storage tank 2 and becomes clean and dry gas after passing through the filter dryer 3;

[0066] The clean and dry gas passes through the circulation pump 4 and enters the gas heat exchanger 5 to be heated to the set temperature;

[0067] The heated gas flows into the flexible gas heating coil 6. Due to the high pressure of the heated gas, the flexible gas heating coil 6 is pressurized and expanded to break the ice and snow covering the protective layer, and the heated gas melts the ice and snow; the gas after heat exchange enters the gas storage tank 2;

[0068] Repeat the use until the detector 8 detects that the ice and snow processing meets the requirements.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, but extends to any new features or any new combination disclosed in this specification, as well as any new method or process steps or any new combination disclosed.

Claims

1. An automatic deicing and snow removal device for a radome, characterized in that: It includes a gas compressor, a gas storage tank, a circulation pump, and a heat exchanger connected in sequence, and a flexible gas heating coil installed on the surface of the antenna cover, and the flexible gas heating coil forms a protective layer with heating and deformation functions on the surface of the antenna cover; The flexible air heating coil is provided with an air inlet connected to the heat exchanger, and an air outlet connected to the air storage tank.

2. The automatic deicing and snow removal device for a radome according to claim 1, characterized in that: A filter dryer is arranged between the gas storage tank and the circulation pump.

3. The automatic deicing and snow removal device for a radome according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a detector mounted above the radome surface and used to detect the thickness of ice and snow.

4. The automatic snow and ice removal device for a radome according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger and the flexible gas heating coil are connected via a heat-insulating pipe.

5. The automatic snow and ice removal device for a radome according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible air heating coil is made of elastic non-metallic material, has a temperature resistance range of -60 to 150° C., and a dielectric constant of 3 to 5.

6. The automatic deicing and snow removal device for a radome according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flexible air heating coil is made of polyurethane film material, and the wall thickness of the flexible air heating coil is 0.2-0.3 mm.

7. The automatic snow and ice removal device for a radome according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The flexible air heating coil is arranged in an S shape.

8. The automatic snow and ice removal device for a radome according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The protective layer is in a spherical cap structure, and the flexible air heating coil includes an air inlet pipe arranged at the apex of the spherical cap structure and having an air inlet, an air supply pipe arranged circumferentially around the air inlet pipe and connected to the air inlet pipe at one end, and a manifold arranged coaxially with the air inlet pipe and sleeved on the outside of the air inlet pipe; the manifold in a circular ring shape is connected to one end of the air supply pipe away from the air inlet pipe; the air outlet is arranged on the manifold.

9. The automatic snow and ice removal device for a radome according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a control unit which is respectively connected with the detector, the gas compressor, the gas storage tank, the circulation pump and the heat exchanger.

10. A method for automatically removing ice and snow from a radome, characterized in that: The automatic deicing and snow removal device for the antenna cover according to any one of claims 1 to 9 specifically comprises the following steps: When the accumulated thickness of ice and snow on the surface of the radome exceeds the requirement, the gas compressor presses the gas into the gas tank and starts the circulation pump. Under the action of the circulation pump, the gas flows out of the gas tank and becomes clean and dry gas after passing through the filter dryer. The clean and dry gas passes through the circulation pump and enters the gas heat exchanger to be heated to the set temperature; The heated gas flows into the flexible gas heating coil, causing the flexible gas heating coil to expand under pressure, breaking up the ice and snow covering the protective layer, and melting the ice and snow through the heated gas; The gas after heat exchange enters the gas storage tank; Repeat until all the ice and snow are cleared.

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