Automated Water Drop Measurement and Ice Detection System

• US 20140184789A1
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Meis, Charles Steven, Langhofer, Erik Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,227,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/22 Automatic initiation by icing detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2202 involving separation of sample components during sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2214 by sorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0227 using imaging; using holography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2833 Collecting samples on a sticky, tacky, adhesive surface
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting an icing condition. The apparatus comprises a sensor system and an icing condition detector. The sensor system is configured to collect drops of water from air on an exterior of an aircraft and generate a number of images of the drops of water collected. The icing condition detector is configured to detect a presence of a number of types of icing conditions for the aircraft using the number of images from the sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor system configured to collect drops of water from air on an exterior of an aircraft and generate a number of images of the drops of water collected; and

an icing condition detector configured to detect a presence of a number of types of icing conditions for the aircraft using the number of images from the sensor system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the icing condition detector is further configured to perform an operation in response to detecting a presence of at least one of a first type of icing condition and a second type of icing condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operation is selected from at least one of generating an alert, activating an anti-icing system, generating a log entry, and sending a report.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises:

a number of probes configured to collect the drops of water from the air on the exterior of the aircraft; and

a camera system configured to generate the number of images of the drops of water collected by the number of probes.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of probes is configured to extend into the air on the exterior of the aircraft and retract the number of probes out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft into an interior of the aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the number of probes is configured to periodically extend into the air on the exterior of the aircraft and retract out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a housing, wherein the camera system is located within the housing and the number of probes is configured to extend into the air on the exterior of the aircraft from the housing and retract out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft into the housing; and

a motor system configured to move the number of probes to extend into the air on the exterior of the aircraft from the housing and retract out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft into the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the icing condition detector is configured to analyze the number of images to identify a type of icing condition for the aircraft when the drops of water collected are frozen drops of water.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the icing condition detector is located in one of the camera system, a housing, and a computer system in the aircraft.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the icing condition detector is configured to analyze the number of images to identify the type of icing condition for the aircraft when the drops of water collected are frozen drops of water by comparing a size of the frozen drops of water in the number of images with a drop database of drop sizes for frozen drops of water.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of types of icing conditions comprises a first type of icing condition and a second type of icing condition.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first type of icing condition is caused by first drops having a first number of sizes from about 0.00465 millimeters in diameter to about 0.111 millimeters in diameter and the second type of icing condition is caused by second drops having a second number of sizes from about 0.112 millimeters in diameter to about 2.2 millimeters in diameter.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second type of icing condition is a supercooled large drop type of icing condition.

14. An icing condition detection system comprising:

a group of sensor units configured to generate information about a number of types of icing conditions outside of an aircraft, wherein a sensor unit in the group of sensor units comprises a number of probes configured to collect drops of water from air on an exterior of the aircraft and a camera system configured to generate a number of images of the drops of water collected by the number of probes; and

an icing condition detector configured to detect a presence of the number of types of icing conditions for the aircraft using the number of images from the camera system.

15. The icing condition detection system of claim 14 further comprising:

an anti-icing system configured to remove ice from a surface of the aircraft when the presence of the number of types of icing conditions is present.

16. A method for detecting an icing condition, the method comprising:

collecting drops of water from air on an exterior of an aircraft;

generating a number of images of the drops of water collected; and

determining whether a number of types of icing conditions for the aircraft is present using the number of images from a sensor system.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

performing an operation when the number of types of icing conditions is present.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the collecting step comprises:

moving a number of probes to extend into the air on the exterior of the aircraft and retract out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft into an interior of the aircraft; and

wherein the generating step comprises;

generating the images of the drops of water collected on the number of probes as frozen drops of water when the number of probes are retracted out of the air on the exterior of the aircraft into the interior of the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the collecting step further comprises:

melting the frozen drops of water after generating the images and prior to moving the number of probes to extend back into the air on the exterior of the aircraft.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining step comprises:

differentiating between a first type of icing condition and a second type of icing condition.