System and method for detection of frazil ice on underwater grating
First Claim
1. A system for detecting accretion of frazil ice on underwater gratings, said system comprising:
- a housing for disposition beneath a water surface and spaced from but proximate an underwater intake grating;
an electromagnetic wave generating means disposed in said housing;
a pair of parallel electrically conductive bodies mounted side-by-side in said housing and extending therefrom, said bodies being in communication with said wave generating means;
a coaxial transmission line connected proximate a first end thereof to said housing and in communication with said pair of bodies for extension from said housing, upwardly above the water surface; and
a monitoring station for disposal above the water surface and for receiving signals from said bodies, said monitoring station having a second end of said transmission line fixed thereto;
said wave generating means being adapted to propagate electromagnetic waves to said bodies for further travel to distal ends of said bodies and back to said housing and thence to said monitoring station;
said monitoring station being adapted to compute round trip travel time of said waves in said bodies, and to compute changes in said round trip travel time, from which is determined absence, presence, and build-up of frazil ice on said bodies;
whereby to provide an indication of same on said grating.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting accretion of frazil ice on underwater gratings inces a housing for disposition beneath a water surface and spaced from but proximate an underwater intake grating. A pair of parallel electrically conductive bars are mounted side-by-side in the housing and extend therefrom. The bars are in communication with an electromagnetic wave generator in the housing. A coaxial transmission line is connected at a first end to the housing and in communication with the pair of bars for extension from the housing upwardly above the water surface. A monitoring station is disposed above the water surface for receiving signals from the bars, the monitoring station having a second end of the transmission line fixed thereto. The wave generator propagates electromagnetic waves to the bars for further travel to distal ends of the bars, and back to the housing and thence to the monitoring station. The monitoring station is adapted to compute wave round trip travel time in the bars and to compute changes in the round trip travel time, from which is determined absence, presence, and build-up of frazil ice on the bars, thereby providing an indication of same on the grating.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for detecting accretion of frazil ice on underwater gratings, said system comprising:
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a housing for disposition beneath a water surface and spaced from but proximate an underwater intake grating; an electromagnetic wave generating means disposed in said housing; a pair of parallel electrically conductive bodies mounted side-by-side in said housing and extending therefrom, said bodies being in communication with said wave generating means; a coaxial transmission line connected proximate a first end thereof to said housing and in communication with said pair of bodies for extension from said housing, upwardly above the water surface; and a monitoring station for disposal above the water surface and for receiving signals from said bodies, said monitoring station having a second end of said transmission line fixed thereto; said wave generating means being adapted to propagate electromagnetic waves to said bodies for further travel to distal ends of said bodies and back to said housing and thence to said monitoring station; said monitoring station being adapted to compute round trip travel time of said waves in said bodies, and to compute changes in said round trip travel time, from which is determined absence, presence, and build-up of frazil ice on said bodies; whereby to provide an indication of same on said grating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for detecting accretion of frazil ice on an underwater grating, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a housing having an electromagnetic wave generating means therein, and a pair of electrically conductive bodies mounted side-by-side therein and extending therefrom, the bodies being in communication with the wave generating means; positioning the housing beneath a water surface and spaced from but proximate an underwater intake grating; providing a monitoring station connected to the housing and the bodies by coaxial cable, and positioning the monitoring station above the water surface; actuating the wave generating means to propagate electromagnetic waves to the bodies for further travel to distal ends of the bodies and back to the housing and thence to the monitoring station, the monitoring station being provided with means for computing round trip travel time of the waves in the bodies, and to compute changes in the round trip travel time, from which is determined absence, presence, and build-up of frazil ice on the bodies, to provide an indication of same on the grating. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification