Importance

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Abstract

An ice sensor for the remote rapid indication of ice formation or the presence of ice is a fiber optic 'switch', activated by ice but not by water, and based on the difference in optical properties between water and ice. The approach is to construct a 'fiber optic' which itself is the ice sensor. The fiber optic sensor (FOS) is designed so that no light is transmitted when water is present but as soon as ice begins to form, light is relayed. Thus ice switches on the light- In addition, limited quantitative information can be made available on the rate of ice formation. Alternatively the sensor can be formed of another type optical waveguide instead of an optical fiber. The ice sensor is formed by placing spaced stripes of a clad material on a fiber optic core, or other waveguide structure, where the clad has a refractive index close to ice and the core has an index greater than the clad but less than water. It is best to index match the core to the clad for optimal transmission when ice forms in the gaps between the clad stripes. The advantages of the ice sensor include: specific, sensitive, real-time response, small, light weight, inexpensive, requires no line-of-sight, EMI immune, rugged and flexible. The instrumentation needed to operate the ice FOS is simple, small, light weight, inexpensive, easy to operate, battery powered -optional, rugged, reliable and amenable to telemetry of information.

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First Claim