Interfacial Tunnel Effect for Efficient Acoustic Deicing Design

Acoustic deicing technology shows great potential for aviation applications owing to its high energy efficiency. However, current studies mainly focus on the macroscopic performance under acoustic actions, while an in-depth acoustic deicing mechanism has yet to be established. To address this challenge, a new acoustic deicing concept of interfacial tunnel effect is proposed and verified through in situ experimental investigation and finite element simulation. This effect refers to the formation of a concentrated acoustic energy path along the ice/solid interface, which facilitates interface separation through localized mechanical vibrations, shear stress, and acoustic thermal phase changes. The results demonstrate that surface waves feature high intensity but rapid attenuation during the interfacial propagation, while plate waves have much less energy dissipation into the substrates but with a relatively low interfacial intensity. The hybrid acoustic wave integrates these two features and sustains the interfacial tunnel across the entire ice/solid boundary with sufficient acoustic intensity, resulting in effective ice removal. Further deicing study on the acoustic/mechanical coupled field proves the effectiveness of external shear force in facilitating interfacial tunnel propagation. This work establishes the fundamentals of acoustic deicing, providing design guidance for efficient acoustic deicing technologies.