METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE RISK OF ICING ON AERODYNAMIC SURFACES

• US 20090306928A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brennero Innovazioni Tecnologiche srl
• Original Assignee: Sisvel S.p.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Inventors: Battisti, Lorenzo
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/136
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/40 Ice detection; De-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/303 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/80 Devices generating input signals, e.g. transducers, sensors, cameras or strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for detecting the risk of icing on aerodynamic surfaces lapped by a fluid flow (F), in particular on load-bearing surfaces of fluid machines, of the type comprising a temperature sensor (20). The system is characterized in that the temperature sensor (20) is located close to the aerodynamic surface (5S) to be monitored for detecting the temperature of the surface (5S), and that the system comprises a rain sensor (30) located close to the surface (5S) for detecting the presence of water on said surface (5S). The system can thus detect the risk of icing on aerodynamic surfaces in a very effective, simple and inexpensive manner.

Claims

11-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for detecting the risk of icing on aerodynamic surfaces (5S) lapped by a fluid flow (F), such as load-bearing surfaces of fluid machines (5), comprising the steps of:

detecting the temperature on the aerodynamic surface (5S);

detecting the presence of water on the surface;

processing the data relating to temperature and presence of water, in order to check whether it corresponds to icing conditions or not.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection of temperature and presence of water provides signals which are processed by electronic means.

17. The method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces (5S) are those of a wind turbine rotor.

18. A system for implementing the method according to claims 1 or 2, comprising an aerodynamic surface (5S) to be monitored, a temperature sensor (20) located on the aerodynamic surface (5S) for detecting the temperature of the aerodynamic surface (5S), and a rain sensor (30) located on the aerodynamic surface (5S) for detecting the presence of water on the aerodynamic surface (5S), a data acquisition system connected to said sensors (20, 30), characterized in that the data acquisition system processes the information about the presence/absence of water sent by the rain sensor (30) and the surface temperature value detected by the temperature sensor (20) in order to provide a signal related to a risk of icing to be sent to central control unit.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein when the sensors (20, 30) detect the presence of water and a temperature below a preset critical value, the data acquisition signals the risk of icing or impending icing to a central control unit.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein when drops of water are not detected on the aerodynamic surface (5S) by the rain sensor (30), the data acquisition system will not signal the risk of icing.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the sensors (20, 30) are arranged in positions corresponding to or surrounding the areas of maximum pressure of the aerodynamic surface (5S) to be monitored.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the temperature sensor (20) has a sensing portion (21) located where the fluid flow (F) laps the aerodynamic surface (5S).

23. The system according to claim 18, wherein the sensors (20, 30) are arranged on the aerodynamic surface (5S) close to each other.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the sensors (20, 30) are of a type made up of small plated and are secured to the aerodynamic surface (5S).

25. The system according to claim 18, wherein said temperature and rain sensors (20, 30) are built in a single sensor.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein said aerodynamic surface is the outer surface (5S) of a rotor blade (5) and the fluid machine is a wind turbine.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the blade is of a holed type and the sensors (20, 30) are located upstream of a single hole (12) relative to the fluid flow (F) lapping the outer surface (5S) of the blade (5).

28. The system according to claim 26, wherein the data acquisition system is arranged on the nacelle of the wind turbine, the system comprising means for transmitting signals detected by the sensors (20, 30) to the central control unit.