Deicing Rod for Propellers Similar to a card hitting the spokes of a bicycle, the card is soft enough to knock the dust off the spokes with no damage. What material would be best to impede the propellers to chip off the ice. Assume the flexible rod is machine held. What heavier duty impeller could be used for this? What about the same idea for a helicopter rotor?
I apologize for the multiple questions but they could not stand alone on their own. If it an issue let me know.
A rod soft enough to not be quickly destroyed by the propeller (or to damage the propeller) would likely be too soft to apply impacts forceful enough to shatter ice along the full length of the blades.
A &quot;baseball card&quot; big enough to handle the full length of the blades, and also soft enough, would likely be blown aft forcefully enough to not touch the prop at all.
Frame challenge:  so-called deicing boots accomplish the same, with no risk of damage and with proven reliability, by electrically heating the blades to melt the ice.