Systems and Methods for Predicting and Controlling Ice Formation
First Claim
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1. An ice detection and deicing (“
- IDD”
) system, comprising;
a heating susceptor operative to increase temperature in response to an eddy current;
a detecting susceptor having a Curie temperature configured to change magnetic properties of the detecting susceptor at a desired temperature; and
a coil operative to induce eddy currents in the heating susceptor in response to a change in the magnetic properties of the detecting susceptor as the temperature of the susceptor changes from above the Curie temperature to below the Curie temperature.
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Abstract
A system and method for operating an ice detection and deicing system are provided herein. The ice detection and deicing system may use changing magnetic properties of various components caused by temperature changes to detect conditions conducive to, or indicating, ice formation. The ice detection and deicing system may further use eddy currents induced in one or more layers of the system to increase the temperature of the one or more layers to reduce the amount of ice formation or reduce the probability of ice being formed.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ice detection and deicing (“
- IDD”
) system, comprising;a heating susceptor operative to increase temperature in response to an eddy current; a detecting susceptor having a Curie temperature configured to change magnetic properties of the detecting susceptor at a desired temperature; and a coil operative to induce eddy currents in the heating susceptor in response to a change in the magnetic properties of the detecting susceptor as the temperature of the susceptor changes from above the Curie temperature to below the Curie temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- IDD”
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11. A method for operating an ice detection and deicing system, the method comprising:
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operating an aircraft having one or more susceptors on an aircraft external flight surface; detecting a change in a magnetic property of the one or more susceptors caused by a reduction in temperature of the one or more susceptors below a Curie temperature of the one or more susceptors; calculating a temperature change based on the change in the magnetic property; determining a probability of ice formation on the aircraft external flight surface; inducing eddy currents into the one or more susceptors to generate heat within the one or more susceptors; maintaining the induction of eddy currents until a set point is reached; and removing the induced eddy currents once the set point is reached. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An aircraft wing leading edge, comprising:
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an erosion shield operative to reduce erosion; a heating susceptor operative to be responsive to eddy current formation, causing the temperature of the heating susceptor to increase; a detecting susceptor having a Curie temperature used to indicate a change in temperature of the detecting susceptor; a composite structure operative to support one or more components of the ice detection and deicing systems; an insulating layer installed between the detecting susceptor and the composite structure; a coil operative to induce eddy currents in the heating susceptor; an alternating current power supply operative to energize the coil to provide for a magnetic flux to induce eddy currents in the heating susceptor to increase the temperature of the heating susceptor; and a concentrator operative to interact and modify a magnetic flux created by the coil to focus the magnetic flux towards the heating susceptor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification