Solid-State Airspeed Sensing Using Charged Particle Transit Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft speed sensors are vulnerable to damage and failures due to environmental factors such as ground incursions, bird strikes, and icing, leading to inaccurate readings that can compromise flight safety and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A solid-state speed sensor system using emitter and collector electrodes to generate and detect charged particles in ambient air, measuring the duration between a voltage pulse and current to estimate vehicle speed, eliminating mechanical components and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical speed sensors are used, then speed measurement function is provided, but vulnerability to environmental damage (ground incursions, bird strikes, icing) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical speed sensors with a solid-state sensor system that uses electrical fields and charged particles to measure aircraft speed. The system employs an emitter electrode to generate charged particles and a collector electrode to detect them, eliminating mechanical components that are vulnerable to ground incursions, bird strikes, and icing. This substitution of mechanical systems with electrical field-based measurement resolves the contradiction by providing reliable speed measurement without mechanical parts exposed to environmental hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the sensor system by using voltage pulses to generate charged particles and measuring the duration of current flow between electrodes. By operating in the electrical domain rather than mechanical domain, and by using pulsed voltage parameters, the system achieves immunity to environmental factors that affect mechanical sensors while maintaining accurate speed measurement capability.
2Reliability
If redundant speed sensors are installed, then safety margins are increased, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The solid-state sensor system is designed to be universally applicable for speed measurement while inherently providing redundancy through its solid-state architecture. The system can operate with multiple electrode pairs or in conjunction with other flight instruments, providing cross-checking capability without requiring separate redundant mechanical sensor systems. This multi-functionality approach allows the same sensor type to serve both primary measurement and backup functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining safety margins.
3Measurement precision
If mechanical speed sensors are used, then speed measurement is achieved, but susceptibility to icing and adverse weather conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sensing elements with solid-state electrodes that generate and detect charged particles through electrical fields. This substitution eliminates the mechanical components that accumulate ice and are affected by turbulence. The electrical field-based measurement system remains unaffected by icing conditions, maintaining precise speed readings even in adverse weather, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and susceptibility to environmental factors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides accurate and reliable speed estimation with minimal error, reducing vulnerabilities to environmental factors and ensuring safe and stable flight operations.
Implementation Method 1
The emitter electrode is configured to generate charged particles proximate the emitter electrode via a voltage pulse
Implementation Method 2
The collector electrode is configured to detect a current associated with a flow of the charged particles during movement of the aircraft through an atmosphere
Implementation Method 3
The collector electrode is configured to detect a current associated with a flow of the charged particles
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor includes an emitter electrode configured to be disposed at a first position and exposed to a fluid airflow. The emitter electrode is configured to generate charged particles proximate the emitter electrode via a voltage pulse. The sensor includes a collector electrode configured to be disposed at a second position and exposed to the fluid airflow. The second position is aft of the first position. The collector electrode is configured to detect a current associated with a flow of the charged particles during relative movement of the fluid airflow. The sensor includes one or more processors coupled to the emitter electrode and the collector electrode, wherein the one or more processors are configured to measure a duration between the voltage pulse and the current, and wherein the duration is indicative of a speed of a vehicle.