Conceptual Design of Ice Detection/Mitigation System Based on Infrared Thermography

Ice accretion has been a persisting issue in cold regions and poses a threat to onshore and offshore infrastructure, especially to sensitive equipment and personnel safety. Thermal infrared imaging (thermography) can be used as a non-destructive, non- invasive technique to determine the presence and thickness of ice over a surface. The paper presents early-stage experiment results with a FLIR® Lepton 2.5 radiometric thermal IR camera (resolution 80 X 60) to detect the presence of freshwater and marine ice of different types. Other environmental effects are also studied qualitatively, and corresponding results are validated against a high-speed, high-resolution FLIR® T1030sc thermal IR camera. The presented results are the first step in detecting and mitigating ice on flat surfaces. The discussed technique will lead to the development of autonomous, remote, energy-efficient ice detection and mitigation system.