Fri, May 23, 2008
Swan International "Ice-Eye" Could Be Used On Most
Aircraft
Sydney-based Swan International recently earned a US patent
related to development of an Inflight Ice Detection System, which
would rely on optical technologies to sense ice accumulating on
aircraft surfaces.
The company tells ANN the US Patent Office issued patent No.
7370525 for The Swan International, Dual Channel, Optical Detection
technique. The Swan Ice Detection System -- known as "Ice-Eye" --
utilizes optical technologies developed as part of the company's
Predictive Windshear Detection development.
The system detects ice accretion on the aircraft by monitoring
ice formation on a reference surface using optical discrimination
techniques. Ice responds optically in a different way depending
upon the incident light wave polarization. This optical
polarization response of ice differs significantly to that of water
or other substances that may also be on the surface.
This high sensitivity sensor work by illuminating a small ice
collecting window fixed in a sensor housing flush mounted on the
tip of a heated sensor tube. The resulting backscattered light from
the ice collecting surface is collected using polarization
sensitive optical fibers. The detected light intensity for each
fiber together with the intensity ratio indicates the presence of
ice on the ice collecting surface.
The Swan Sensor performs the function of alerting the pilot to
icing conditions, indicating the severity of such conditions and
may activate the de-icing system. The company notes its system
could be deployed on a wide variety of aircraft.
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