Power efficient heater control of air data sensor
AssigneeRosemount Aerospace Inc.
InventorsPrashant Vadgaonkar, Gaurav Sahay, Daniel Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft includes an air data sensor and a heating element. The air data sensor includes a probe and transducer coupled to the probe. The heating element is disposed within the probe and is configured to emit heat that heats the probe. The aircraft further comprises a heater control system in signal communication with the heating element and a thermal sensor system. The thermal sensor system is configured to determine the emitted heat from the heating element based on the thermal radiation of heat released from a surface of the probe. In this manner, the heater control system can actively vary the temperature of the heating element based on the emitted heat from the heating element.
Claims20
A heater control system for an aircraft, the heater control system comprising:
- an air data sensor including a probe and transducer coupled to the probe;
- a heating element disposed within the probe and configured to emit heat that heats the probe.
- a thermal sensor system in operable communication with the air data sensor and configured to determine a temperature of the heating element based on a thermal radiation of heat released from a surface of the probe;
- and
- a controller in operable communication with the thermal sensor system and the heating element, the controller configured to control power supplied to the heating element to vary the emitted heat based on the thermal radiation.
A method of heating an air data sensor operable with an aircraft, the method comprising:
- outputting, via a thermal sensor system in operable communication with a heating element disposed within a probe of an air data sensor, a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the heating element based on a thermal radiation of heat released from a surface of the probe;
- and
- controlling power supplied to the heating element, via a controller, to vary the emitted heat based on the temperature signal.
A diagnostic system for an aircraft, the diagnostic system comprising:
- an air data sensor including a probe and transducer coupled to the probe;
- a heating element disposed within the probe and configured to emit heat that heats the probe.
- a thermal sensor system in operable communication with the air data sensor and configured to determine output a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the heating element;
- and
- a controller in operable communication with the heating element and the thermal sensor system, and configured to determine the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature signal, and to initiate a heater diagnostic test that diagnoses a health of the heating element based on the temperature of the heating element.
A method of diagnosing a heating element coupled to an air data sensor operable with an aircraft, the method comprising:
- emitting heat from the heating element coupled to a probe of the air data sensor to increase a temperature of the probe;
- outputting, via a thermal sensor system, a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the heating element;
- determining, via a controller, the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature signal, and initiating a heater diagnostic test that diagnoses a health of the heating element based on the temperature of the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.