US 12,351,321 B2
System and method for detecting ice accretion on a rotor of an aircraft
Mohan Kanathu, Bangalore (IN); Sivaprakash Pasupathi, Bangalore (IN); and Ondrej Karas, Brno (CZ)
Assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/191,579.
Claims priority of application No. 202311007825 (IN), filed on Feb. 7, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0262512 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. G08B 21/00 (2006.01); B64D 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 15/20 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting ice accretion on a rotor of an aircraft, the system comprising a processing system that is configured to:
receive torque data indicative of actual torque supplied from an electric motor to the rotor;
implement a model of the electric motor and the rotor that determines an estimated torque that should be supplied from the electric motor to the rotor;
compute a load on the rotor from the actual torque and the estimated torque;
compare the computed load to a predetermined magnitude; and
when the computed load exceeds the predetermined magnitude, generate an alert that indicates ice is accreting on the rotor,
wherein the model implemented in the processing system estimates the torque that should be supplied to the aircraft rotor from:
RPM command data, the RPM command data indicative of a rotational speed at which the aircraft rotor is being commanded to rotate;
angular rate data, the angular rate data indicative of angular rates of the aircraft;
air density data, the air density data indicative of air density; and
wind estimate data, the wind estimate data indicative of estimated relative wind velocities in three orthogonal axes.