A system for controlling ice accumulation on a surface of an aircraft, the system includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) heater comprising: a CNT layer; a first encapsulation layer disposed on a first side of the CNT layer formed of a first encapsulation layer thermoplastic material; and a second encapsulation layer disposed on a second side of the CNT layer formed of a second encapsulation layer thermoplastic material. The system also includes a fore composite structure that includes a fore composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater, an aft composite structure that includes an aft composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater and a sensor layer disposed between the CNT heater and the one of the fore and aft composite structures.

A method of operating an optical icing conditions sensor includes transmitting a first light beam with a first transmitter and a second light beam with a second transmitter, thereby illuminating two illumination volumes. A first receiver receives the first light beam. A second receiver receives the second light beam. A controller measures the intensity of light received by the first and second receivers. The controller compares the intensities to threshold values and determines if either intensity is greater than the threshold values. The controller determines a cloud is present if either intensity is greater than the threshold values. The controller calculates a ratio of the intensities if a cloud is present. The controller determines, using the ratio, whether the cloud contains liquid water droplets, ice crystals, or a mixture of liquid water droplets and ice crystals.

A method of operating an optical icing conditions sensor includes transmitting a first light beam with a first transmitter and a second light beam with a second transmitter, thereby illuminating two illumination volumes. A first receiver receives the first light beam. A second receiver receives the second light beam. A controller measures the intensity of light received by the first and second receivers. The controller compares the intensities to threshold values and determines if either intensity is greater than the threshold values. The controller determines a cloud is present if either intensity is greater than the threshold values. The controller calculates a ratio of the intensities if a cloud is present. The controller determines, using the ratio, whether the cloud contains liquid water droplets, ice crystals, or a mixture of liquid water droplets and ice crystals.

A method of operating an optical icing conditions sensor includes transmitting, with a transmitter, a light beam and thereby illuminating an illumination volume. A receiver array receives light over a range of receiving angles. The receiver array is configured to receive light having the wavelength over a receiver array field of view which overlaps with the illumination volume. A controller measures an intensity of light received by the receiver array. The controller determines that a cloud is present if the intensity is greater than a threshold value. The controller calculates scattering profile data of the light received by the receiver array if a cloud is determined to be present, which includes an angle of a scattering intensity peak within the range of receiving angles and a breadth of the scattering intensity peak. The controller estimates a representative droplet size within the cloud using the scattering profile data.

A method of operating an optical icing conditions sensor includes transmitting, with a transmitter, a light beam and thereby illuminating an illumination volume. A receiver array receives light over a range of receiving angles. The receiver array is configured to receive light having the wavelength over a receiver array field of view which overlaps with the illumination volume. A controller measures an intensity of light received by the receiver array. The controller determines that a cloud is present if the intensity is greater than a threshold value. The controller calculates scattering profile data of the light received by the receiver array if a cloud is determined to be present, which includes an angle of a scattering intensity peak within the range of receiving angles and a breadth of the scattering intensity peak. The controller estimates a representative droplet size within the cloud using the scattering profile data.

Provided are embodiments for method and system for performing an integrated ice protection with prognostics and health management using fiber optic sensors. Embodiments can include reading a signal from each sensor of an array of sensors installed on a surface of a structure or equipment, wherein each sensor is a fiber optic sensor, and generating a map based on reading the signal from each sensor, wherein the map monitors a condition of the surface detected by each sensor. Embodiments can also include determining at least one of an abnormal condition or a failure based at least in part on reading the signal from each sensor; and performing at least one of adjusting power control for the structure or equipment or communicating the abnormal condition or failure of the structure or equipment.

Provided are embodiments for method and system for performing an integrated ice protection with prognostics and health management using fiber optic sensors. Embodiments can include reading a signal from each sensor of an array of sensors installed on a surface of a structure or equipment, wherein each sensor is a fiber optic sensor, and generating a map based on reading the signal from each sensor, wherein the map monitors a condition of the surface detected by each sensor. Embodiments can also include determining at least one of an abnormal condition or a failure based at least in part on reading the signal from each sensor; and performing at least one of adjusting power control for the structure or equipment or communicating the abnormal condition or failure of the structure or equipment.

The disclosure provides a microwave system developed to measure properties of fluidic materials incident upon a surface using a phase response of multiple microstrip transmission lines, generally over an ultra-wideband excitation. The system can include a series of parallel planar transmission lines as waveguides that are coupled to an insulator layer and a conductor as a formed-to-fit or flexible insulator layer, an ultra-wideband RF transceiver measuring phase angle, and a processing computer. The system can directly measure electrical permittivity in the microwave frequency band. This measurement can be processed to determine the presence of a homogeneous or heterogeneous fluidic material on a surface to which the transmission lines are coupled, the presence of a phase change in the fluidic material, and potentially the presence of other fluidic materials, depending on differences in permittivity between the fluid materials. In some embodiments, a thickness of the material can be also be provided.

A method is for detecting a blockage of a wind vane (12) of an aircraft, with the wind vane (12) including a support (20), a paddle (22) mounted rotating relative to the support (20) along an axis (A), a motor (28) able to exert a rotational torque on the paddle (22) along the axis (A), the motor (28) being connected to a processing unit (18). The method includes applying a predetermined blockage detection torque on the paddle (22) by the motor (28); measuring at least one piece of information representative of a resistance of the paddle (22) to the predetermined detection torque; and generating, via the processing unit (18), a blocking information signal, if a predetermined condition based on the representative information is verified.

A method of monitoring an ice protection system of a rotorcraft or an aircraft includes applying heat to rotating blades of the rotorcraft or the aircraft according to a heater duty cycle and determining an anticipated ice shed time for ice to shed from the rotating blades. Torque of the rotating blades is sensed, and an actual ice shed time for ice to shed from the rotating blades is determined based on the sensed torque. A status of the ice protection system is determined based on the anticipated ice shed time and the actual ice shed time, and the status of the ice protection system is output for consumption by a consuming system.