PITOT-TUBE HEATING IN AIRCRAFTS BY SKIN EFFECT

Abstract

A pitot-tube is positioned mainly to function the Airspeed Indicator (ASI), Altimeter and the vertical speed indicator (VSI). Any difference in the Pitot tube causes a great change in these flight instruments. The idea of this project is to use skin effect to become distributed within a conductor and attached to the tube overall to maintain the temperature. Skin effect as we describe, is the tendency of an alternating current (AC) to become distributed within a conductor such that current density is largest near the surface of the conductor, and decrease with greater depths within the conductor. The heat produced in the outer heat tube, can be measured and regulated with a microprocessor based, controller. This regulates the temperature reducing the risk of Pitot-tube melting and thereby avoiding pitot-tube icing at higher altitudes. The main idea is to avoid air crashes due to the misreading created due the pitot tube icing. This also lowers the power consumption, increased heating element lifespan and does not endlessly waste electricity when not in icing conditions mainly with the help of the micro controller.