Flexible ice detection film utilizing arrayed complex impedance sensors

In order to solve the problem of multidimensional measurements of ice on airfoil structures, a flexible arrayed ice detection film is proposed and evaluated. The film is able to realize high precision temperature drift self-compensation and thus measure the mixed-phase thickness and irregular ice morphology by taking advantage of its in-situ and multi-penetration depth measurement. The influence of the temperature factor on the ice relaxation polarization effect is analyzed, and a sensitivity-based parametric design method for the impedance sensor array is established by means of simulation. The experimental data indicate a RMSE (Root-mean-square error) of 0.26 °C for temperature inversion by measuring the relaxation time. Using multi-penetration depth data fusion, the RMSE of the online thickness measurement of the dynamic phase change is 0.21 mm. On this basis, the RMSE of ice sheet morphology measurement reaches 0.23 mm.