Sensors (Mar 2015)

Development of a Capacitive Ice Sensor to Measure Ice Growth in Real Time

  • Xiang Zhi,
  • Hyo Chang Cho,
  • Bo Wang,
  • Cheol Hee Ahn,
  • Hyeong Soon Moon,
  • Jeung Sang Go

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/s150306688
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 3
pp. 6688 – 6698

Abstract

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This paper presents the development of the capacitive sensor to measure the growth of ice on a fuel pipe surface in real time. The ice sensor consists of pairs of electrodes to detect the change in capacitance and a thermocouple temperature sensor to examine the ice formation situation. In addition, an environmental chamber was specially designed to control the humidity and temperature to simulate the ice formation conditions. From the humidity, a water film is formed on the ice sensor, which results in an increase in capacitance. Ice nucleation occurs, followed by the rapid formation of frost ice that decreases the capacitance suddenly. The capacitance is saturated. The developed ice sensor explains the ice growth providing information about the icing temperature in real time.

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