Ultra Electronics Limited

The Boeing Company

University of Southampton

The Boeing Company, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group

Ian McGregor Stothers

Ivan A Scott

Hosam E El-Gabalawy

Richard Andrew Hinchliffe

Robert William Saunders

Mark Alan McCray

James Peachey

Luca Benassi

Daniel Z Schneider

Andrew Dargle

Ivan Scon

Tim Waters

Ivan Anthony Scott

We describe an ice protection system used for removing ice and/or other accretions from a structure. An actuator, coupled to a structure, is driven to generate vibrations in the structure. A controller drives the actuator using a signal that comprises a frequency chirp over a first period of time, and the controller controls the frequency chirp and the first period such that vibrations generated in the structure by the actuator propagate through the structure to coincide at a desired area of the structure remote from the actuator to remove ice and/or other accretions from the desired area of the structure.

Ice protection system

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the presence of water or ice on a structure, for example on the surface of an aircraft. One or more separate heaters are thermally coupled to a structure (for example on the back of wing leading edge skins). A controller applies power to the heaters to heat the different regions of the surface of the structure. The controller detects the presence of water or ice by comparing the power required to achieve the desired surface temperature, and a reference power, where the reference power is the power required to heat the surface of the structure to the same temperature if the structure were in a dry air environment (i.e. an environment devoid of water). If the power consumed by the heater is greater than the reference power, the presence of water or ice is inferred.

Apparatus and method for detecting water or ice

A proximity sensor core for a proximity sensor is provided. The core has a head portion extending across a width of the sheet of material and the head has a first length. First and second leg portions extend for a second length from the same edge of the head portion. Each of the first and second leg portions extend across a portion of the width of the head portion. First and second foot portions extend for a third length from the respective first and second leg portions. The first and second foot portions have the same width as the respective leg portions. The core has a first bend between each of the first and second foot portions and the respective first and second leg portions so that the first and second foot portions extend generally perpendicular to the respective first and second leg portions.

Sensor core and sensor

The present invention generally relates to proximity sensor monitors and proximity monitor systems incorporating proximity sensor monitors. A proximity sensor monitor measures the impedance or other electrical characteristics of a proximity sensor component to determine the presence of a target. The proximity sensor monitor performs this measurement independently of a separate proximity sensor. The proximity sensor monitor is configured to compensate for differences between the measurement frequency of the proximity sensor monitor and the driving frequency of the proximity sensor.

Proximity sensor monitor

An ice detection system, in particular a method, apparatus and controller for detecting icing conditions and the presence of ice formed on a structure. Also, a method, apparatus and controller to detect the prevailing environmental conditions to determine whether or not ice may form on a structure. Two heaters of an ice protection system (experiencing substantially the same environmental conditions) are driven to different temperatures (the first greater than or equal to 0&#xb0; C., and the second less than 0&#xb0; C.). A difference in the powers required to drive the two heaters indicates the prevailing environmental conditions. In another embodiment, a heater of an ice protection system is driven and the rate of change of surface temperature is measured over several periods. A substantial deviation from a rate of change of surface temperature, which indicates the presence of ice on the surface of the structure, is detected.

Ice detection system and method

Each of a plurality of acoustic sensors (acoustically coupled to a structure for monitoring) is connected to a network bus system via a preamplifier for capturing, processing and reporting acoustic events in a structure, for example aircraft structures. Each of the preamplifiers processes the acoustic event signals received from the sensors when an acoustic emission resulting from an acoustic event (defect in a structure, impact on the structure etc), and passes digital processed signal data relating to the detected acoustic event to a Remote Data Concentrator over the network for collation. The collated data is then stored and/or further processed (at a later time or in near real-time) to determine the source and/or location of detected acoustic emissions in the structure.

Acoustic structural integrity monitoring system and method

An adaptive control unit is described for receiving an analog input signal containing at least an indication of a parameter to be controlled to generate an analog output signal for control of the parameter. The analog input signal contains a fed back component resulting from the analog output signal. The adaptive control unit comprises an analog filter having an adjustable gain, a gain adjuster for adjusting the gain of the analog filter using a feedforward adjustment method, and a filter for compensating for the fed back component in the analog input signal.

PID controller

An active tuned vibration absorber () is disclosed for reducing vibrations in a structure, the vibration absorber comprising: a mount () for attachment to the structure; a moveable mass (); a spring arrangement () connected between the mass and the mount; an actuator arrangement () for applying a force between the mass and the mount; a first sensor () for providing a first measurement indicative of a force exerted between the structure and the mount; a second sensor () for providing a second measurement indicative of an acceleration of the structure at or proximate to the mount; and a control system () for generating an actuator driving signal for driving the actuator using the first and second measurement, wherein the control system is operable to generate the actuator driving signal to cause the first measurement and second measurement to conform to a target relationship.

Active tuned vibration absorber

A method is disclosed for controlling the distribution of power to a plurality of devices, the method being carried out during a plurality of time periods, and the method during each time period after the first comprising: determining (S) an energy or power deficit for each device based on the difference between a target amount of energy or power and a measured amount of energy or power supplied to the device prior to the current time period; selecting (S) at least one device in decreasing order of energy or power deficit, whereby priority is given to devices having the largest energy or power deficit or the smallest energy or power surplus, until the selection of any further devices will cause a total estimated power consumption of the selected devices during the time period to exceed a predetermined maximum power consumption; and supplying (S) power to the or each selected device during the time period.

Power control system

A method of calibrating a heater system for heating a surface of a structure, the heater system including a heater element, a temperature sensor proximate the heater element for outputting a signal indicative of the temperature of the heater element, and a controller for controlling the supply of power to the heater element in dependence on the signal to maintain the temperature of the heater element at a first substantially constant temperature. The method comprises: immersing the structure in a fluid for maintaining the surface of the structure at a second substantially constant temperature; supplying an amount of power to the heater element; receiving the signal from the temperature sensor and determining a temperature at the temperature sensor; and determining a setpoint temperature for controlling the heater element in dependence on the signal and the second substantially constant temperature.

Method of calibrating a heater system

An ice protection system for a structure having at least one surface to be protected from a range of icing conditions. The ice protection system includes at least one heater device, arranged in thermal contact with at least one surface to be protected; at least one temperature sensor for outputting at least one temperature signal, the sensor being in thermal contact with the heater device; and a control system for controlling the heat output of the heater device using the temperature signal. The control system is operable to control the heat output of the heater device in order to maintain the temperature of the heater device at a substantially constant temperature.

An ice detection system, in particular to a system for detecting icing conditions and a system for detecting the presence of ice formed on a structure, and the methods for doing the same. Two heaters of the ice protection system (experiencing substantially the same environmental conditions) are driven to different temperatures (the first greater than or equal to 0&#xb0; C., and the second less than 0&#xb0; C.). The difference in the powers required to drive the two heaters indicates the prevailing environmental conditions. A heater of the ice protection system is driven and the rate of change of surface temperature is measured over several periods. A substantial deviation from a rate of change of surface temperature, which indicates the presence of ice on the surface of the structure, is detected.

Adaptive control unit with feedback compensation

A method and system for detecting structural damage in a structure by detecting acoustic emissions from damage in a structure to obtain acoustic emission data, and processing the acoustic emission data in accordance with a model characterising acoustic paths. The model is built by inducing a plurality of types of acoustic emissions at each of a plurality of positions on a structure, the plurality of types of acoustic emissions corresponding to a respective plurality of types of structural damage. The acoustic emissions are detected using at least three sensors arranged on the structure, and the detected acoustic emissions are processed for each position to determine model data characterising effects on each type of acoustic emission from each position of acoustic paths between the positions and the sensors. The processed data is then stored as model data.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for vibration isolation. The invention may be conceptualized as a vibration isolation mount. The vibration isolation mount mounts a first member to a second member for reducing the transmission of vibrations from the first member to the second member. The vibration isolation mount comprises a first mounting means for mounting to the first member, and a second mounting means for mounting to the second member. A spring means is arranged between the first and second mounting means, wherein said spring means is coupled to the first mounting means and provides a spring force between said first and second mounting means. The invention may also be conceptualized as a vibration isolation method. The method controls vibrations transmitted from a first member to a second member when the second member is mounted on the first member using a spring arrangement. The spring arrangement provides a delay in transmission of an impulse between the first and second members. The method comprising the steps of (1) sensing vibrations in a first member; (2) applying a force on a second member in response to the sensed vibrations to reduce vibrations in the second member; and (3) wherein the spring arrangement provides a delay equal to or greater than a delay in the provision of said force in response to the vibrations in said first member.

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Saham Toney, United Kingdom

Ian McGregor Stothers