Icing sensor system and method
First Claim
1. A method of determining an icing potential of an aircraft in an environment, wherein the icing potential provides an indication, or prediction, of the time to, or likelihood of the aircraft experiencing icing conditions, the method comprising:
- providing a sensor having a surface exposed to the environment and thermally coupled to a heat pump;
operating the heat pump to cause heat to flow through the surface;
monitoring a temperature of the surface;
determining a temperature indicative of ice formation on the surface;
determining an environment temperature representative of the temperature of the environment to which the sensor surface is exposed;
determining the value of a difference between the environment temperature and the temperature indicative of ice formation, said value representing a proximity to icing conditions of the environment to which the surface is exposed; and
determining the icing potential by measuring a rate and direction of change of the value representing the proximity to icing conditions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a first aspect the invention relates to a sensor system (10) for determining a proximity to icing conditions of an environment. The system includes a sensor having a sensor surface (12) for exposure to the environment, an electrically powered heat pump means (16) for cooling and/or heating the surface (12), and a temperature detector (14) for providing a signal representative of the temperature of the surface (12). An environment temperature is determined, and a processor determines, from the temperature detected by the temperature detector (14) and the environment temperature, a proximity to icing conditions of the environment to which the surface (12) is exposed. In a second aspect of the invention the sensor system includes a power monitor for determining an amount of power required to heat or cool the surface through a temperature indicative of ice formation. The processor determines the proximity to icing conditions from the detected temperatures and the amount of cooling or heating power.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of determining an icing potential of an aircraft in an environment, wherein the icing potential provides an indication, or prediction, of the time to, or likelihood of the aircraft experiencing icing conditions, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor having a surface exposed to the environment and thermally coupled to a heat pump; operating the heat pump to cause heat to flow through the surface; monitoring a temperature of the surface; determining a temperature indicative of ice formation on the surface; determining an environment temperature representative of the temperature of the environment to which the sensor surface is exposed; determining the value of a difference between the environment temperature and the temperature indicative of ice formation, said value representing a proximity to icing conditions of the environment to which the surface is exposed; and determining the icing potential by measuring a rate and direction of change of the value representing the proximity to icing conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of determining an icing potential of an aircraft in an environment, wherein the icing potential provides an indication, or prediction, of the time to, or likelihood of the aircraft experiencing icing conditions, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor having a surface exposed to the environment and an electrically powered heat pump thermally coupled to the surface; operating the heat pump to cause heat to flow through the surface; monitoring a temperature of the surface; determining an amount of power required to cause the surface to pass through a temperature indicative of ice formation; determining, from the monitored temperatures and the amount of power, the value of a quantity of heat that causes the surface to pass between a predetermined temperature above the temperature indicative of ice formation to a predetermined temperature below the temperature indicative of ice formation, said value representing a proximity to icing conditions of the environment to which the surface is exposed; and determining the icing potential by measuring a rate and direction of change of the value representing the proximity to icing conditions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification