Ice detector

An ice detector is an optical transducer probe available for aviation and other applications where it is important to sense the formation of naturally occurring ICE in hazardous environments, and taking swift corrective action in response to its formation in a timely manner. An ice detector is an optical transducer probe available for aviation and other applications where it is important to sense the formation of naturally occurring ICE in hazardous environments, and taking swift corrective action in response to its formation in a timely manner. Ice formations on aircraft in flight are extremely hazardous, and pilots’ response to it can mean life or death. Many ice-induced airplane crashes have been documented https://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/Wing-icing-preceded-pitch-and-roll-in-Buffalo-1590137.php as causing the loss of hundreds and even thousands of human lives both inside airframes and on the ground. Other types of ice sensor probes include PLASTIC http://newavionics.com/ice-detector-sensor/ STEEL http://newavionics.com/9732-aero-subsonic/ REFRIGERATOR DEFROST http://newavionics.com/ice-detector-sensor-2/and WIND TURBINES http://newavionics.com/9734 An ice detector has no moving parts, is completely solid and its principle of operation is entirely optical. Intrusive to the airstream and hermetically sealed, it uses un-collimated light to monitor the opacity and optical refractive index of the substance on the probe. It is de-sensitized to ignore a film of water. Ice detectors work as a combined optical spectrometer and optical switch. A change in opacity registers as rime ice. A change in refractive index registers as clear ice. Optical components are made of acrylic, which is the material used for aircraft windshields. The wavelength of the transducer's excitation light is not visible to the human eye so as not to be mistaken for any kind of navigational running light. Optical ice detectors can be installed on any type of air vehicle with enough air speed to keep water from accumulating on the optics, such as rotorcraft, general aviation aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. They can be embedded into host aerospace systems such as an altimeter, antenna, anti-icing system, flight data recorder, jet engine inlet, pitot tube, stall warning indicator or weather system. Optical ice detectors operate on 3.3 V DC at 100 mA. Installation requires the probe to be mounted in the airstream beyond the boundary layer, and in a location easily accessible to the pilot for occasional cleaning with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol.