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Aircraft pitot-static tube with ice detection

  • US 8,060,334 B1
  • Filed: 09/03/2010
  • Issued: 11/15/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A machine named an Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection comprising:

  • means to identify that the temperature of the entire body of the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Centigrade) to assure that frozen conditions of the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection are present and ice accreation is possible by the addition of temperature sensors to the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection;

    means to measure the thermal conductivity of materials accreated on the exterior and partially or totally filling the interior of the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube With Ice Detection by the addition of thermal conductivity sensors to the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube With Ice Detection;

    means to use the thermal conductivity values measured by the thermal conductivity sensors to differentiate between ice, sleet, frost, deicer fluid, rain water and snow through comparison with reference laboratory measured data;

    means to identify when icing, sleeting, deposition of frost and buildup of snow on and in the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection is initially occurring by the addition of thermal conductivity sensors to the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection;

    means to identify the history of icing, sleeting, deposition of frost and buildup of snow accreated on the exterior of Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection and within its inlet tube and within its inner chamber by the addition of thermal conductivity and impedance sensors to Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection;

    means to measure the variation with frequency of the electrical impedance of materials accreated on the exterior and partially or totally filling the interior of Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection by the addition of impedance sensors to the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection;

    means to make three measurements on the exterior surface and interior surfaces of Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection using sensors that measure temperature, thermal conductivity and electrical impedance of materials, including ice, sleet, frost or snow, that are accreated on the exterior of and partially or totally filling the interior of Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection;

    means to transform electrical impedance data, measured on materials accreated on the exterior of and partially or totally filling the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection, into the complex dielectric plane which takes into account the relative geometry and distances between any two electrodes;

    means to make a determination whether the transformed impedance data does or does not exhibit a semicircular signature in the complex dielectric plane;

    the presence of a distinct semicircular signature absolutely identifying the material under test as ice and only ice;

    no other of the possible materials exhibiting such a distinctive signature;

    means to measure the thickness and extent of any icing accreated on the exterior of the Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection and within its inlet tube and within its inner chamber based on measured complex dielectric values and features of the trace in the complex dielectric plane;

    means to use the complex dielectric data to identify when Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection is sufficiently fouled with ice, sleet, frost, deicer fluid, rain water and snow deposits on its exterior surface and inner tube and inner chamber that Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection can not possibly operate properly;

    means to notify the pilots of the aircraft and aircraft control and safety systems that sufficient icing has occurred on a particular Aircraft Pitot-Static Tube with Ice Detection to render it inoperative and eliminate it from further consideration by the pilots as well as by the aircraft'"'"'s control and safety systems.

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