QUANTITATIVE BLOCKAGE ANALYSIS OF A GRID IN ICING CONDITIONS
FIG4 shows a cross sectional view of an aircraft engine with an exemplary embodiment of an analysis system
FIG4 shows a cross sectional view of an aircraft engine 401 with an air-intake protection grid 403. The aircraft engine 401 comprises an analysis system 405 with an optical sensor 407 that communicates with a processor unit 409. The processor unit 409 communicates with a display unit 411.
cross-sectional view
307
In displaying step
303
In determination step
403
grid
301
capturing step
411
display unit
300
method
405
analysis system
409
processor unit
401
aircraft engine
407
optical sensor
305
In counting step
['1. An analysis system (100) for quantitative blockage analysis of a grid in icing conditions, comprising - at least one optical sensor (101, 407), - a processor unit (105, 409), and - a display unit (107, 411), wherein the at least one optical sensor is configured to continuously capture a series of pictures of a grid (103, 403, 601) and to submit each picture of the series of pictures to the processor unit, wherein the processor unit is configured to determine a color scale value for each of a number of areas in at least a field of each picture, and wherein the processor unit is configured to count a number of areas in a particular field (501) of a particular picture (500) that show a color scale value greater than an absolute reference value, wherein the processor unit is configured to calculate a time remaining until a critical icing condition is reached based on a model of an icing behavior of the grid and the number of areas that show a color scale value greater than the absolute reference value, and wherein the processor unit is further configured to calculate a warning signal based on the time remaining until the critical icing condition of the grid is reached, and to display the warning signal on the display unit.', '12. A method for quantitative blockage analysis of a grid in icing conditions, comprising the following steps: - capturing (301) a series of pictures of a grid (103, 403) by using an optical sensor (101, 407) and submitting each picture of the series of pictures to a processor unit (105 ,409); - determining (303) a color scale value for each of a number of areas in at least a field of each picture; - counting (305) a number of areas in a particular field of a particular picture that show a color scale value greater than an absolute reference value, and - extrapolating (203) a time remaining until a critical icing condition is reached by using a model of an icing behavior of the grid and the number of areas that show a color scale value greater than the absolute reference value; and - displaying (207) a warning signal on a display unit based on the remaining time calculated by using the model.']