Large scale spallation inducing ice protection

摘要

A technique for protecting a structure from an impact with ice involves providing a horizontal spall initiator extending from the wall a distance of 1 to 10 cm, the horizontal spall initiator being resilient to the ice impact, and formed by blade segments having a blade width less than ½ a thickness of an expected hard zone of the ice; and situating the horizontal spell initiator at an elevation of the expected hard zone. Situating the horizontal spall initiator at an elevation of the hard zone may involve providing an elevation control mechanism (e.g. buoyancy, mechanical, or hydrodynamic), or may involve a panel with a plurality of horizontal spell initiators at respective elevations. The horizontal spell initiator may be driven.

主权项

1. A method for protecting a structure from interaction with an ice sheet, the method comprising:
providing a horizontal spall initiator comprising at least one blade segment extending from a wall of the structure, or from one panel or from a plurality of panels thereon, a distance of 1 to 10 cm, the at least one blade segment being resilient to the ice interaction, and having a blade width less than ½ a thickness of an expected hard zone of the ice; and aligning the horizontal spall initiator to an elevation corresponding to the expected hard zone prior to the interaction with the ice sheet, the hard zone being a central horizontal region of the ice sheet.