Aircraft ice accretion detection based on measuring density

A computer-implemented method for controlling an aircraft ice detector, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a depth sensor of the aircraft ice detector, a depth signal indicating a depth of water and/or ice collected on a baseplate in a collection chamber of the aircraft ice detector;
• receiving, from a mass sensor of the aircraft ice detector, a mass signal indicating a mass of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate;
• calculating a volume of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate based at least on the depth signal and dimensions of the baseplate;
• calculating a density of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate based at least on the mass signal and the calculated volume of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate;
• and
• based at least on the calculated density of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate being less than a threshold density, outputting an ice accretion signal indicating that there is ice accretion present on a surface of the aircraft at a location of the aircraft ice detector.

An ice detection system for an aircraft, comprising:

• a plurality of aircraft ice detectors positioned at different locations on a surface of the aircraft, wherein each aircraft ice detector comprises:
• a collection chamber forming an aperture configured to receive water and/or ice impinging on the surface of the aircraft;
• a baseplate positioned within the collection chamber and configured to collect the water and/or ice that enters through the aperture formed in the collection chamber;
• a depth sensor positioned within the collection chamber and configured to output a depth signal indicating a depth of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate;
• and
• a mass sensor configured to output a mass signal indicating a mass of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate;
• and
• a computing system comprising:
• a logic subsystem;
• and
• a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to:
• for each aircraft ice detector of the plurality aircraft ice detectors, receive the depth signal from the depth sensor;
• receive the mass signal from the mass sensor;
• calculate a volume of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate based at least on the depth signal and dimensions of the baseplate;
• calculate a density of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate based at least on the mass signal and the calculated volume of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate;
• and
• based at least on the calculated density of the water and/or ice collected on the baseplate being less than a threshold density, output an ice accretion signal indicating that there is ice accretion present on the surface of the aircraft at a location of the corresponding aircraft ice detector.