Anti-icing technology based on drop bouncing dynamics for the prevention of freezing of electric power equipment

Abstract

In winter, electric power facilities such as solar panels, substations, power towers, and power lines suffer from freezing or ice accumulation problems due to exposure to harsh external environments. These problems result in unstable powersupply, high maintenance costs, and severe economic and social losses. To address these problems, diverse anti-icing or deicing techniques including physical, thermal, and chemical approaches have been developed. However, theseconventional approaches have limitations such as requirements for additional external energy, environmental toxicity, and low applicability. Recently, novel anti-icing surfaces based on unique drop bouncing dynamics have been developed by mimicking nano/micro-structures of natural systems. These anti-icing surfaces have attracted attention due to their high energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. It has been found that the superhydrophobic surfaces with specific nano/micro-structures can effectively remove the water droplets before the formation of ice nucleation by minimizing contact area and contact time between the droplets and the surface, thereby demonstrating excellent anti-icing properties. This review introduces recently developed anti-icing techniques based on the drop bouncing dynamics, and briefly describes the future direction of the anti-icing technology for stable power supply.