Detection and measurement of ice thickness using microprocessor-controlled resonant transducers

Shuvo Roy; Alain Izad; Russell G. DeAnna; Mehran Mehregany

doi:10.1117/12.316899

27 July 1998 Detection and measurement of ice thickness using microprocessor-controlled resonant transducers

Shuvo Roy, Alain Izad, Russell G. DeAnna, Mehran Mehregany

Proceedings Volume 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316899
Event: 5th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

An ice detection system consisting of a resonant piezoelectric sensing-element and microprocessor control has been developed to automatically and distinctly sense ice and water films up to 0.5 mm thick. Accretion of ice and/or water on the sensor surface modifies the effective mass and/or stiffness of the vibrating transducer; these variations are sensed by measuring the changes in transducer resonant frequency. In case of ice films, resonant frequency of the transducer increases steadily from 14 kHz for a 0.06 mm-thick layer to 28 kHz when the ice film is 0.45 mm thick. In contrast, the transducer resonant frequency decreases slightly from 10 kHz for a 0.06 mm-thick layer of water to 9.5 kHz for a 0.45 mm-thick film. Repeatability experiments revealed test-to-test variations of 3.8% and 0.7% for ice and water films, respectively. A portable, low-power, microprocessor-controlled electronic circuit has been designed and implemented to automate the resonant frequency measurement and determine the thickness of ice/water present on the transducer surface.

Citation Download Citation

Shuvo Roy, Alain Izad, Russell G. DeAnna, and Mehran Mehregany "Detection and measurement of ice thickness using microprocessor-controlled resonant transducers", Proc. SPIE 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, (27 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316899

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