Piccolo Tube Manufacturing

In 1958 Wham-O launched the now famous hula hoop to the US market. I was in diapers. Today I’m part of the manufacturing team at VerTechs that is producing a similar variant in inconel 625 as part of an anti-icing manifold system for business jets. Our version is a bit more complex than the original plastic Wham-O version. Our flying version resembles the shape but includes hundreds of holes that provide heat from the aircraft engine’s high pressure compressor which then travels through the piccolo manifold. This manifold is positioned within the nacelle just behind the leading edge of the inlet providing heat to the circumference of the inlet, accomplishing anti-icing rather than de-icing.

For more reading on the subject, the FAA has a technical report CT87-37 that covers the differences between anti-icing and de-icing. The preface of this detailed report gives credit to Rolls-Royce, Wichita State University, Pratt & Whitney and Rohr Industries.

Link provided here:  https://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/ct87-37.pdf

Wham-O might own the market on plastic hula-hoops, VerTechs has launched a new business segment supporting anti-icing manifolds. For more info reach me at [email protected]