Ice detection and mitigation device
AssigneeMesocribe Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRICHARD J. GAMBINO, CHRISTOPHER GOULDSTONE, JONATHAN GUTLEBER, DAVID HUBBLE, JASON TRELEWICZ
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Abstract
A method for deicing an aerostructure includes driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent. A resistance of the heater element is monitored. It is determined whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element. A melting current is driven through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.
Claims29
A method for deicing an aerostructure, comprising:
- driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent;
- monitoring a resistance of the heater element;
- determining whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element;
- and
- driving a melting current through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.
The method of claim 12, wherein the heater element is a first heater element and the one or more additional sensors are part of a second heater element in communication with the first heater element or a control circuit thereof.
A method for deicing an aerostructure, comprising:
- monitoring a temperature at a heater element coated to an aerostructure using a temperature monitoring device coated to the aerostructure and in close proximity to the heater element;
- determining whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored temperature at the heater element;
- and
- driving a melting current through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.
A system for de-icing an aerostructure, comprising:
- a sensing-current driving device for driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent;
- a monitoring device for monitoring a resistance of the heater element;
- a processing unit for determining whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element;
- and
- a melting-current driving device for driving a melting current through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.
A system for detecting ice on a surface of an aerostructure, comprising:
- a sensing-current driving device for driving a sensing current through a coil element coated to an aerostructure, the coil element having a resistance that is temperature dependent;
- a monitoring device for monitoring a resistance of the coil element;
- and
- a processing unit for determining whether there is icing at the coil element using the monitored resistance of the coil element.
A self de-icing aerostructure, comprising:
- an aerostructure component;
- and
- one or more self-regulating de-icing arrays coated to the aerostructure component,
- wherein each of the one or more self-regulating de-icing arrays comprise a plurality of miniature heater elements having a resistivity that is temperature dependent.
A method for detecting ice on a surface of an aerostructure, comprising:
- driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent;
- monitoring a resistance of the heater element;
- and
- determining whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.