NAME : RAJENDRA

CHOURASIYA
Roll no. : Ms071808
Sub : aircraft structure system
Topic : Ice detection system
ICE DETECTION SYSTEM

■ Ice is detected when temperature falls beyond specified limit.

■ Ice Detection Systems use one of the following methods of detecting
and sessing the formation of ice.
(a) Ice Accretion Method. Ice-is allowed to accumulate on a probe which
projects into the airstream and in doing so operates a warning system.
(b) Inferential Method. Atmospheric conditions conducive to the
formation of ice are . detected and continuously evaluated to operate a
warning system.
■ Icing on aircraft is caused primarily by the presence of super-
cooled water droplets in the atmosphere. If the droplets
impinge on the forward facing surfaces of an aircraft, they
freeze and cause a build up of ice which may seriously alter the
aerodynamic qualities. This applies particularly to small
objects, which have a higher catch rate efficiency th.an large
ones, as small amounts of ice will produce relatively bigger
changes in shape
Types of ice detector heads

■ Pressure Operated Ice Detector Heads.

These consist of a short stainless steel or chromium plated brass
tube, which is closed at its outer end and mounted so that it
projects vertically downwards from a portion of the aircraft
known to be susceptible to icing. Four small. holes are drilled in
the leading edge of this tube, and in the trailing edge are two
holes of less total are~ than those of the leading edge (Figure 1).
A heater element is fitted to allow the detector head to be cleared
of ice. In some units of this type a further restriction to the air
flow is provided by means of a baffle mounted through the centre
of the tube.
■ Hot Rod Ice Detector Head.
This consists of an aluminium alloy oblong base (called the
plinth) on which is mounted a steel tube detector mast of aerofoil
section, angled back to approximately 30° from the vertical,
mounted on the side of the fuselage, so that it can be seen from
the flight compartment windows. The mast houses a heating
element, and in the plinth there is a built-in floodlight
■ Serrated Rotor Ice Detector Head.
This consists of a serrated rotor, incorporating an integral drive
shaft coupled to a small a.c. motor via a reduction gearbox, being
rotated adjacent to a fixed k;nife-edge cutter . The motor casing is
connected via a spring-tensiqned toggle bar to a micro-switch
assembly. The motor and gearbox assembly is mounted on a static
spigot attached to the motor housing, and together with the micro-
switch assembly, is enclosed by a cylindrical housing. The
detector is mounted through the fuselage side so that the inner
housing is subjected to the ambient conditions with the outer
being seaed from the aircraft cabin pressure.
■ Vibrating Rod Ice Detector Head.
This ice detector senses the presence of icing conditions and
provides an indication in the flight compartment that such
conditions exist. The system consists of a solid-state ice detector
and advisory warning light. The ice detector is attached to the
fuselage with its probe protruding through the skin (Figure 4).
The ice detector probe (exposed to the airstream) is an ice sensing
element that ultrasonically vibrates in an axial mode of its own
resonant frequency of approxi-mately 40 KHz.
■ Ice Formation Spot Light
Many aircraft have two ice formation spot lights mounted one
each side of the fuselage, in such a position as to light up the
leading edges of the mainplanes, when required, to allow visual
examination for ice formation
■ In some aircraft, this may be the only method of ice detection.