Patent Application
20210231592
This application claims priority to and the benefit of Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202011003303 filed on Jan. 24, 2020 entitled “MULTI-LAYERED ICE DETECTOR APPARATUS.”
The present disclosure relates to ice detection systems and methods, and more specifically to a multi-layered ice detector apparatus, system, and method for detecting and distinguishing different icing conditions.
Icing on aircraft and other vehicles, structures, and systems, is a hazardous safety concern. For example, governmental agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) in the United States of America and the European Aviation Safety Agency (“EASA”) in Europe, often establish rules and safety requirements that relate to icing on aircraft. Continuing the example, the FAA issues rules pertaining to icing conditions on aircraft, referred to conventionally as “appendix C icing conditions” (see FAA CFR 14 Part 25). The FAA has recently issued heightened rules, at least for certain types of aircraft, pertaining to conditions in which specific water content and altitudes in the atmosphere result in the formation of “supercooled large droplets (SLD).” These conditions, which are not covered by appendix C icing conditions, are referred to as appendix O icing conditions. Conventional ice detection and/or de-icing systems and methods are unable to differentiate the appendix C icing conditions from the appendix O icing conditions, and thus aircraft may have insufficient de-icing protocols to handle appendix O icing conditions, thus resulting in potential safety concerns.
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a multi-layered ice detector apparatus. The multi-layered ice detector apparatus may include a first heater strip configured to be mounted to a surface, the first heater strip forming a first heater layer of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus. The multi-layered ice detector apparatus may further include a second heater strip coupled in proximity to the first heater strip, the second heater strip forming a second heater layer of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus. Still further, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus may include a plurality of temperature sensors coupled to at least one of the first heater strip and the second heater strip, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are configured to detect a temperature profile of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus, wherein the temperature profile is indicative of an extent of icing.
According to various embodiments, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus further includes an electrically insulative layer disposed between the first heater layer and the second heater layer. The electrically insulative layer may be thermally conductive. The multi-layered ice detector apparatus further includes a third heater strip coupled in proximity to the second heater strip, the third heater strip forming a third heater layer of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus, according to various embodiments. The electrically insulative layer may be a first electrically insulative layer, and the multi-layered ice detector apparatus may further include a second electrically insulative layer disposed between the second heater layer and the third heater layer.
In various embodiments, the temperature profile comprises a spatial temperature map of the heater strip. The plurality of temperature sensors is a first plurality of temperature sensors coupled to the first heater layer, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus further comprising a second plurality of temperature sensors coupled to the second heater layer, wherein the spatial temperature map comprises a temperature depth parameter, according to various embodiments.
The surface may be an external surface of an aircraft, and the temperature profile may be indicative of whether the aircraft is operating in an appendix C icing-envelope or an appendix O icing-envelope. The surface is a leading edge of a structure of an aircraft, wherein the first heater layer and the second heater layer are configured to extend around the leading edge, according to various embodiments. The second heater strip may be a higher-powered heater strip than the first heater strip. The second heater strip may be configured to be positioned closer the surface than the first heater strip in response to the multi-layered ice detector being mounted to the surface, and correspondingly the first heater strip may be configured to be positioned closer to ambient air than the second heater strip.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is an aircraft comprising a first heater strip, a second heater strip, a plurality of temperature sensors, and a controller. The first heater strip forms a first heater layer of a multi-layered ice detector apparatus, according to various embodiments. The second heater strip, which is coupled in proximity to the first heater strip, forms a second heater layer of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus mounted to leading edge surface of the aircraft, according to various embodiments. The plurality of temperature sensors are coupled to at least one of the first heater strip and the second heater strip, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are configured to detect a temperature profile of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus, according to various embodiments. The controller can be structured to monitor/control a single sensor or a plurality of sensors in different locations of the aircraft.
The controller may be operably coupled in electronic communication with the multi-layered ice detector apparatus, and the controller may have a processor. A tangible, non-transitory memory is configured to communicate with the processor, wherein the tangible, non-transitory memory has instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the aircraft to perform various operations, according to various embodiments. These various operations may include determining, by the controller and based on the temperature profile, an icing condition of the aircraft. Further, these various operations may include selectively actuating, by the controller, individual heater layers of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus.
Determining the icing condition of the aircraft comprises determining whether the aircraft is in an appendix C icing-envelope or an appenix O icing-envelope, according to various embodiments. The second heater strip may be positioned closer to a skin of the leading edge surface of the aircraft than the first heater strip, and correspondingly the first heater strip may be positioned closer to ambient air than the second heater strip.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is an ice detection method of an aircraft. The method may include receiving, by a controller, a temperature profile from a plurality of temperature sensors coupled to at least one of a first heater strip and a second heater strip that collectively form a multi-layered ice detector apparatus mounted to an external surface of the aircraft. Further, the method may include determining, by the controller and based on the temperature profile, an icing condition of the aircraft. Still further, the method may include selectively actuating, by the controller and based on the icing condition, individual heater layers of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus. Determining the icing condition of the aircraft may include determining, by the controller, a heat flux of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus.
The forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.
Disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, are apparatuses, systems, and methods for ice detection. More specifically, the present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for detecting icing conditions and for facilitating distinguishing between different icing conditions. The present disclosure also provides a multi-layered ice detector apparatus comprising multiple heater layers that are configured to be selectively activated. The selective actuation of the multiple heater layers provides customized/tailored heating for ice detection, thereby improving the efficiency of the system and/or increasing the accuracy of the ice detection system, according to various embodiments. Though numerous examples and details herein pertain to implementing the disclosed ice detection apparatus and system in conjunction with an aircraft (e.g., for improving flight safety by distinguishing between different icing conditions during flight), the ice detection apparatus, system, and method may be implemented with other structures and systems, such as other vehicles, buildings, bridges, wind turbines, power cables, etc.
Referring to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, the ice detector apparatus 100 is thus able to differentiate between different icing conditions (in addition to merely detecting the presence of ice). Said differently, a controller 130 may include a processor configured to perform one or more algorithms to differentiate icing conditions. By distinguishing different icing conditions, the controller 130 of the aircraft is configured to indicate to a pilot or automatically undertake actions to address the dynamic icing conditions of the aircraft. For example, and as described in greater detail below with reference to
With continued reference to
In various embodiments, the processor of the controller 130 may be configured to implement various logical operations in response to execution of instructions, for example, instructions stored on the non-transitory memory (e.g., tangible, computer-readable medium). As used herein, the term “non-transitory” is to be understood to remove only propagating transitory signals per se from the claim scope and does not relinquish rights to all standard computer-readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se. Stated another way, the meaning of the term “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” should be construed to exclude only those types of transitory computer-readable media which were found in In Re Nuijten to fall outside the scope of patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101.
The controller 130 may be configured to perform various operations. For example, the method steps described below with reference to
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the ice detector apparatus 100 includes a plurality of temperature sensors 120 coupled to and disposed along a length of the heater strip 110. As used in this context only, the term “coupled to” may refer to standalone, separate temperature sensors that are operably connected to the heater strip to sense/detect temperatures of the heater strip 110 along its length, or the term “coupled to” may refer to temperature sensors that are integrated into the heater strip 110. In various embodiments, the temperature sensors 120 are resistance thermometers (e.g., resistance temperature detectors) and/or fiber optical temperature sensors. The temperature sensors 120 are generally configured to sense a temperature profile, as a function of distance along/across the heater strip 110. That is, the detected temperature profile may be a spatial temperature map of the heater strip 110.
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the ice detector apparatus 100 may be a multi-layered ice detector apparatus 200, such as the one shown in cross-section in
In various embodiments, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus 200 also includes a plurality of temperature sensors coupled to the first heater strip/layer and/or the second heater strip/layer. For example, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus 200 may include a first plurality of temperature sensors 220A coupled to and distributed along the first heater layer 210A. The plurality of temperature sensors 220A, as described above, may be configured to detect a temperature profile (e.g., a spatial temperature map) of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus.
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to FIG.3A, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus 200 further includes an electrically insulative layer 215 disposed between the first heater layer 210A and the second heater layer 210B. The electrically insulative layer 215 may facilitate electrical separation between the two heater strips, thus enabling the two heater strips to be controlled/activated separately. In various embodiments, the electrically insulative layer 215 is configured to be thermally conductive. That is, the electrically insulative layer 215 may facilitate thermal conduction between the layers in order to facilitate heat transfer for purposes of ice detection while maintaining electrical separation between the layers. In various embodiments, the first heater layer 210A is arranged so as to be parallel to the second heater layer 210B. In various embodiments, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus 200 includes additional electrically insulative layers 215, thus forming an alternating structure of heater strips and electrically insulative layers.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
The bond layer 314, according to various embodiments, may be electrically insulative. In various embodiments, the multi-layered ice detector apparatus 300 further includes an erosion protection layer 316 as an exterior-most layer of the apparatus. The erosion protection layer 316 may be coupled directly to one of the electrically insulative layers 315.
In various embodiments, each of the heater layers 310A, 310B, 310C may have its own set of temperature sensors 320A, 320B, 320C. That is, instead of only the top/exterior most heater layer having temperature sensors (e.g.,
In various embodiments, the multiple heater layers have different heat ratings. That is, the heater layers may be configured to provide different heating performance. In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
In various embodiments, and with reference to
Alternatively or additionally, method 500 may include selectively actuating a multi-layered ice detector apparatus at step 596 (based on the determined icing condition from step 594). For example, step 596 may include, in response to determining the flight operating condition of the aircraft is in the appenix O icing-envelope, actuating one or more layers of heater strips of the multi-layered ice detector apparatus in order to properly manage the increased icing conditions present while the aircraft is in the appenix O icing-envelope.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.
The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one and that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural. All ranges and ratio limits disclosed herein may be combined.
Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.
The steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence. For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
Any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. Surface shading lines may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts or areas but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials. In some cases, reference coordinates may be specific to each figure.
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202011003303 | Jan 2020 | IN | national |
