ATA-30 ICE and RAIN protection

Icing is caused primarily by the super cooled water droplets in the atmosphere which
are at a temp below freezing pt water looses heat when it strikes say on a/c wing & engine air
intake or a propeller.

Rime ice:
A rough and opaque ice that forms on aircraft while flying through visible moisture such
as cloud when temperature is below freezing. It disturbs smooth air flow and adding weight.

Glaze ice:
That forms when large drops of water strike a surface whose temperature is below
freezing. It is clear and heavy.

Frost:
Ice crystal deposits formed by sublimation when the temperature and due point are
below freezing.

Super cooled water:

Water in its liquid form at temperature well below its natural freezing temperature
when it is disturbed it immediately freezes.

Sublimation:
A process in which a solid material changes directly into a vapor without passing
through the liquid state.
Ice will not be formed above 40.000 feet (12,000 meter) height.

Effects of icing:
The building of ice can change the aerodynamic shape of a/c causing a decrease of lift.
A change of trim due to change of wt loss of engine power damage to turbine engine
blades.
Icing also causes loss of forward vision due to ice forming on the wind shield panels.
False reading of altimeter & airspeed can occur due to ice formation on pitot probes &
static vents.
That's is why ice protection is provided in the a/c protection from rain is also provided
to improve the visibility in heavy rain by providing wind shield wipers and rain repellant system.
There are two methods of ice protection provided in the modern a/c.
1. Anti-icer system: a system that prevents the formation of ice on the aircraft system.
2. De-icer system: a system that removes ice after it has formed on an aircraft
structure.

Ethylene glycol:
A form of alcohol used as a coolant for liquid cooled engines and as an anti-icing agent.

Isopropyl alcohol:
A colorless liquid used in the manufacture of acetone and its derivatives and as a solvent
and anti-icing agent.

Methods of prevention of ice formation:

 Breaking ice formation by inflatable rubber boots (pneumatic method).
 Heating by hot air bleed from the engine.
 Electrical heating.
 Fluid spray by methane alcohol.
Pneumatic deicing system:
Uses rubber devices called boots or shoes attached to the leading edges of the
stabilizers & wing. The
boots consists of
series of inflatable
pipe or tubes during
operation the tubes
are inflated with
pressurized air&
deflated in the
alternate cycle. This
inflation causes the
ice to break & blow
off.
 The pneumatic air supply is obtained from an engine driven pump at a regulated
pressure of 18PSI in turbo prop engines the air is taken from a tapping on compressor stage &
then regulated during the deflated cycle the boots are held back by connecting to a vacuum line
source to a distributor valves, A thin conductive coating is provide over the surface of boots to
dissipate the static charge,

Electrical anti-icing (or) deicing system:

This consists of three principle sections with relevant control protection & indication.
The power normally required 115/200V A.C from wild freq alternators & 28 volt D.C for control
of the system heating elements vary in design & type depending in type of applications. For
propellers they are fine wire type sand witched in insulating & protecting materials which form
overshoes. For propeller turbine engine air intakes, leading edges of wings & helicopter rotor
blades the elements of sheared foil type. The elements are normally of Ni, CUNI & Ni Cr. metal,
adjusted by chemical etching. Electrical power of 200V A.C of variable freq supplied to propeller
blades & the spinner through brushes & the slip rings & acyclic timing device so that deicing
part of cycle the heat & applied to four blades simultaneously. It is not necessary o deice force
keeps the outer halves free from ice. The air intake elements are aligned so that their elements
are aligned so that their position in the WE are continuously heated to conform the anti-icing
system. For those on inner side are supplied via the cyclic timing s/w to perform deicing.
Wind shield system is necessarily anti-icing. In addition the temp of wind shield panel
must be higher than the ambient temp during takeoff & flight at low attitude & landing for
improving their impact strength against possible bird hit.

Engine air intake and propeller anti-icing and de-icing.

When the system is s/wed "ON" DC energizers the power relay via close contacts of the
overload sensing device allowing 200V to flow directly to the continuous heating element. The
unit is s/wed "ON" either fast (or) slow by selected the temp between -6 to +10° C & duration
between heat 'ON' to heat 'OFF' is short when slow is selected in the at temp below - 6° C the
heat 'ON7 heat 'OFF' is short. When slow is selected at temp below - 6°C the heat 'ON' to 'OFF'
time is longer. The indication of the timer s/w operation is by blue / green light on the control
panel.
On the ground operation the Voltage is reduced to prevent overheating & this is
effected by the automatic closing of micro s/w on to the L/G.
 In the event of A.C. overload the heats elements are protected by the sensing device
which is actuated to interrupt a DC supply to the power relay. The current balance relay
functions the same way but is actuated when there is an unbalance between the phases.

Engine air intake anti-icing system (only DC operated)

The circuit of D.C operated system when switched supply passing through the closed
contacts of thermostats & through the contacts of oil pressure s/w which closely only above
psi, the heater elements normally rated at 500 watts. The thermostat prevents the overheating
of element by opening the circuit. When the element temperature exceeds 49 ± 3° C then the
oil pressure s/w opens a circuit. The engine oil pressure drops to 50 ± 2 psi functioning is
indicated by a indicator light which is illuminated by a current sensing relay which is in series
with heater element & operation when the heater current is more than 15 amp.
Propeller De-icing system:
The propeller blades each have two heater elements bonded to them; one at the
outboard section of a blade and the other at the inboard section. The elements are connected
to the power supply via slip rings, brushes and an electrically-operated timer which is common
to both propellers.
The cycling sequence of the tinier is set so that - (I) the outboard elements of each
propeller are simultaneously heated before the inboard elements, and (ii) only one propeller is
de-iced at a time. The sequence for the right-hand propeller is shown at (a) and (b) of Fig. 10.28
respectively. The segments 3 and 4 respectively connect the supply to the outboard and
inboard elements of the left-hand propeller. The timer energizes the elements for
approximately 34 seconds and repeats the cycle as long as the control switch is in the "on"
position. Operation of the system is indicated by the ammeter, the pointer of which registers
within a shaded portion of the ammeter scale corresponding to current consumed (typically
between 14 and 18 amperes) at the normal system voltage.
Hot air bleed anti-icing system:
This is a standard system adopted on larger transport a/c for anti icing of engine air
intake nose cowlings wing L/E & L/E device such as Haps hot air is obtained from certain stages
of main engine compressor & is then ducted through metal ducting through air intake & L/E's
electrical power is solely required for the purpose of operating of motorized control valves in
the ducting. The valve post indicating lights & the duct temp sensing devices the motors are
limit s/w at full open & closed positions & in most application they are of controlled 115V.
Single phase AC type 28V DC supply used for valve controls relay, s/wing & position indicating
lights. The L/G micro S/w prevents the ground operation a ground test s/w is provided to check
the operation of valve & indicator lights.

A-300 Engine deicing, anti-icing by - bleed air

Wind screen - electrical
Flight controls - bleed air
A - 310 & 320
Engine-bleed air Wind screen - electrical Flight controls - bleed air

B-747
Engine - bleed air Wind shield - electrical Flight controls - bleed air

Beach craft
Wind screen - electrical Wing L/E - Pneumatic boots Horizontal stabilizer - pneumatic boots

B-737
Engine-bleed airs, Wind – electrical, Slats - bleed air.

Wind shield anti-icing:

The method adopted for wind shield anti-icing is normally thermal sensing consisting of
a temp sensing element & a control unit. The element is embedded within the wind shield
panel in such a way that it is electrically insulated from the main heating film and yet is capable
of responding to temperature changes.
 The heating film is normally formed chemically by stenos chloride with gold spurting. A
control unit comprises mainly bridge circuit of which the sensing element forms a part. An
amplifier & a relay when the required power is s/wed on, initially the control unit relay is
energized by an unbalanced bridge signal consequently the power control relay is energized to
supply the w/s panel. As the panel temperature starts increasing the sensing element
resistance also increases.
A typical valve of 40°C makes the current to flow through the sensing element which
balances the power control relay are de-energized there by interrupting the heating current
power supply. As the temp cools down the sensing element resistance also decrease again to
unbalance the bridge.
The w/s are fitted with over heat sensing element which in the failure of sensing
element takes over the function at higher voltage say 50°C. In some few types of A/c w/s are
heated by resistance elements of fine wire supplied by 28 VDC but the temp control is by same
bridge control.
Tempered glass that has been heat treated to increase its strength. it Is used in bird
proof heated wind shields for high speed aircrafts.
The heat keeps the thermoplastic vinyl layers from becoming brittle and this prevents
the wind shield from shattering if it should be struck by a bird inflight.

Wind shield wiper system.

The wiper arms & blades of each system are operated by 28 VDC series variable speed
motor coupled to converter units. The motors are controlled by 4 position control s/w & the
speed variation accomplished by dividing the resistance.
In the low post the voltage applied to the field & armature & then to the ground
through two resistors the motor runs at lower speed. When high is selected only one resistor
come in circuit & motor will operate faster.
When the operation of wiper not required the control is s/w is turned to the park
position through the off position. These are no detent to the park position fit the s/w is
manually held momentarily. In this case supply voltage is initially applied to motor in the
normal way but now the connection to the ground is contacts of breaks s/w within the motor.
Then it will run at fastest speed. As the wiper blade reaches its parked position the motor
operates a cam to change over the break s/w contacts which then short out the armature &
stop the motor. The s/w is then released to swing back to off position.
The purpose of thermal s/w is to open the motor circuit if the field winding temp is
exceeding 150CC or 8 - 10 amps of field current.
Convertor changes rotary output of the motor into the reciprocating motion needed for
the wiper blades.
 Testing is to be carried out after making the wind shield glass wet.

Rain repellent system:

The purpose of these systems is to maintain a clear area on the windshields of an a/c
during takeoff, approach & landing in rain conditions.
A system consists of a pressurized container of repellent fluid, control s/w a solenoid
valve controlling the supply of fluid to a spray nozzle mounted in the fuselage skin in front of
each wind shield. The fluid container is common to each wind shield system &: is located in he
cockpit,
When the control s/w is pushed in, a 28V DC supply is fed to the solenoid valve via the
close contact 'B' of the control relay. The spray nozzle solenoid is energized to open the valve &
allow fluid to flow under press through the spray nozzle & onto the wind shield the fluid is of a
type which causes the surface tension in water to change so that blown off the windshield by
the air stream. Through the action of time delay cct approx 5cc of fluid flows through the nozzle
for approx 0.25 sec.
 At the end of this period the time delay cct applies power to the gate of an SCR which
then energizes the control relay & in turn du energizes the spray nozzle solenoid valve. If the
control s/w remains pushed in, the time delay cct will keep the control relay energized via a
hold in cct across the closed contacts 'A' when the s/w is relayed the time delay cct & SCR are

returned to their original state.

The fluid is contained in a can which when screwed on to the mounting bracket opens a
valve to allow fluid to drain into a reservoir & the system tubing. The reservoir is a clear plastic
cylinder containing a float type contents indicator. A manually operated shut off valve is
provided between the reservoirs & can & is used during can replacement.
ICE DETECTION SYSTEMS

Pressure Operated Ice Detector Heads.

These consist of a short stainless

steel or chromium plated brass tube, which
is closed at its outer end and mounted so
that it projects vertically downwards from a
portion of the aircraft known to be
susceptible to icing. Four small holes are
drilled in the leading edge of this tube, and
in the trailing edge are two holes of less
total area than those of the leading edge
(Figure 1). A heater element is fitted to
allow the detector head to be cleared of
ice. In some units of this type a further
restriction to the air flow is provided by
means of a baffle mounted through the
centre of the tube.

Hot Rod Ice Detector Head.

This consists of an aluminum

alloy oblong base (called the plinth) on
which is mounted a steel tube detector
mast of aerofoil section, angled hack to
approximately 3(T from the vertical,
mounted on the side of the fuselage, so
that it can be seen from the flight
compartment windows. The mast
houses a heating element, and in the
plinth there is a built-in floodlight

The heating element is normally

off and when icing conditions are met ice
accretes on the leading edge of the
detector mast. This can then be observed by the flight crew. During night operations the built-in
floodlight may be switched on to illuminate the mast. By manual selection of a switch to the
heating clement the formed ice is dispersed for further observance.
Serrated Rotor Ice Detector Head.

This consists of a serrated rotor,

incorporating an integral drive shaft
coupled to a small a.c, motor via a
reduction gearbox, being routed adjacent
to a fixed knife-edge cutter. The motor
casing is connected via a spring-tensioned
toggle bar to a micro-switch assembly. The
motor and gearbox assembly is mounted on
a static spigot attached to the motor
housing, and together with the micro-
switch assembly, is enclosed by a cylindrical
housing. The detector ii mounted through
the fuselage side so that the inner housing
is subjected to the ambient conditions with
the outer being sealed from the aircraft
cabin pressure.

The serrated rotor on the detector

head is continuously driven by the electrical
motor so that its periphery rotates within 0-
050 mm (0-002 in) of the leading edge of
the knife-edge cutter The torque therefore
required to drive the rotor under non-icing conditions will be slight, since bearing friction only
has to be overcome. Under icing conditions, however, ice will accrete on the rotor until the gap
between the rotor and knife edge is filled, where upon a cutting action by the knife edge will
produce a substantial increase in the required torque causing the toggle bar to move against its
spring mounting and so operate the micro switch, to initiate a warning signal. Once icing
conditions cease, the knife-edge cutter will no longer shave ice, torque loading will reduce and
allow the motor to return to its normal position and the micro switch will open-circuit the ice
warning indicator.
Vibrating rod (ultra sonic probe system)
 The fundamentals of operation are dependent on the phenomenon of
magnetostriction, i.e., its sensing probe is caused to vibrate axially when subjected to a
magnetic field at specific frequencies.
The sensing probe is a ¼ inch diameter nickel alloy (Ni-Span C) tube mounted at its
mechanical centre. The inherent resonant frequency of the probe is inversely proportional to its
length, the simplified relationship being expressed as f =S/2l where, f = frequency in Hz, S = 1-88
x 10s inches per second (the speed of sound in the tube material) and L ~ length of the probe in
inches. Based on this expression, the tube may be cut to a specific length to achieve a desired
frequency; in this particular system the designed tube length is 2-3 inches, resulting in a
resonant ultrasonic frequency of 41 kHz.
This frequency, however, is reduced to a nominal 40 kHz by the brazing of heating
elements within the tube and also by capping the tip of the tube. The probe is maintained in its
axial vibration by the ultrasonic frequency excitation current produced by an oscillator and
passed through a drive coil wound around the probe. The frequency is controlled by a feedback
coil circuit such that the drive coil will excite the probe at whatever the natural frequency of the
probe might be at the time.
When ice forms on the probe the natural frequency is reduced, and the output
frequency of the oscillator drive coil is in turn reduced to match the probe frequency. By means
of a comparator circuit, the lower output frequency is compared with a fixed frequency output
from a reference oscillator. The frequency difference between the two oscillators relates to the
ice formation on the probe, and when the difference has reached a preset level (150 Hz or less)
determined by a band pass filter and a limiting amplifier, a signal is sent to a switch and delay
circuit. When this occurs, two timer circuits are triggered; one controlling the a.c. supply via a
logic AND gate, to the probe heater, and the other controlling the duration an icing signal is
available to an annunciator light for warning the flight crew. Thus, as will be noted from Fig.
10.30, there is a standing logic 1 input to the AND gate from the 115-volt bus, so when timer
"A" is triggered it will supply a second logic 1 input to the gate causing it to switch on the heater
for a period of 4.5 seconds. The signal from timer 4tB" is 28 volt d.c. and keeps the annunciator
light illuminated for a period of 60 seconds. Melting of the ice from the probe increases the
frequencies of the probe, and if no other icing signal is detected within 60 seconds, timer "A"
automatically resets to isolate the heater from the a.c. supply. This cycle of operation is
repeated while icing conditions prevail.
Failure monitoring of the detector is accomplished with uni-junction oscillators which
are set at both ends of the maximum difference frequency band. If the probe becomes severely
damaged causing a significant change in the resonant frequency, or if an electronic component
failure causes a malfunction in the reference frequency circuit, the annunciator light will be
continuously illuminated.
Ice Formation Spot Light (Ice inspection lamp).
Many aircraft have two ice formation spot lights mounted one each side of the
fuselage, in such a position as to light up the leading edges of the mainplanes, when required,
to allow visual examination for ice formation
NOTE: In some aircraft, this may be the only method of ice detection.