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Boston-based company De-Ice announced Tuesday it was using its electromagnetic technology to de-ice aircraft sustainably with its first customer, Air Canada. The company will begin the first-ever installation of De-Ice systems on an Airbus A320-series aircraft this winter, with more aircraft to follow.
The chemical-spray ice removal process currently used can add about 30 to 45 minutes to a journey. The new De-Ice technology can reduce departure delays and the carbon footprint associated with chemical de-icing. De-Ice came out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015 when Alexander Bratianu-Badea felt the frustration and inconvenience of flight delays due to the standard chemical ice removal process. Bratianu-Badea and co-founder Ruben Toubiana developed a quick and sustainable way to de-ice aircraft.
Since partnering up, the De-Ice team of scientists and engineers developed a technology that uses high-frequency electric current to de-ice an aircraft, without the use of chemical-based de-icing fluids. The technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the de-icing process. De-Ice collaborated with regulatory and safety experts during the development process while working to bring the new product to market.
The De-Ice system consists of tape-like strips that attach to the exterior of the plane. These strips connect to proprietary electronics inside the aircraft. A pilot will activate the technology and the De-Ice system generates a high-frequency current that causes electrons on the surface of the plane to move and generate heat. This process melts the snow and ice during the boarding process and leaves the aircraft ice-free and ready for takeoff once it is ready to pull back from the gate.
"Not only will De-Ice technology be positive for our customers by reducing delays related to the conventional method of aircraft ice removal, but the environmental benefits of chemical-free de-icing and associated lower fuel consumption are in line with Air Canada's commitment to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050," said Murray Strom, senior vice president of flight operations and maintenance at Air Canada. "We have long been an innovative company, having pioneered many winter flying safety measures, and we are proud to be the first airline in the world that will install this technology, which will be the first major advancement in de-icing technology in decades."
By using a semiconductor called gallium nitride the De-Ice system can generate a high-frequency current using devices that weigh an order of magnitude less than the traditional equipment. Before the semiconductor, transistors capable of generating such high-frequency currents were made of silicon. Silicon semiconductors are inefficient to be used on an aircraft for this application. De-Ice has also developed numerous other inventions in power electronics and distribution to make the new technology work.
The new, patented De-Ice system is the only product of its kind and the only viable alternative to the standard chemical spray ice removal. The system is designed to be integrated into existing airline operations, including the installation of the device, which can be incorporated into routine maintenance. The traditional commercial and military aircraft sprays are made with propylene or ethylene glycol to remove the ice and prevent accumulation, which involves the manufacturing, transporting and heating of chemicals. This process can result in longer taxi times to and from the central de-ice facilities, increasing the engine idling times throughout the entirety of the de-icing process and producing significant CO2 emissions. As well as flight delays, the chemical-spray method costs airlines around the world billions to buy, transport, store and apply the fluid.
"De-Ice is proud to introduce our product to the world with Air Canada," Bratianu-Badea said. "Flight delays and the excess carbon emissions caused by chemical-based de-icing will be a thing of the past."