Project Title:

A Liquid Water Content Meter

03.02-9282
A Liquid Water Content Meter
Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
Box 3073
Princeton
NJ
08543
Alan J.
Bilanin
(609-734-9282)
LaRC

Abstract:

There is growing evidence that, under very heavy rainfall rates, airfoils will suffer
aerodynamic performance penalties. Rainfall rates and liquid water content (LWC)
are directly correlated. NASA testing planned for later this year will attempt to
quantify these penalties as a function of LWC to determine at what level LWC-induced
performance degradation presents a serious hazard. It is currently not known for
what period of time or at what altitude high LWCs in the atmosphere will be encountered,
since instrumentation to make these measurements has not yet been developed. This
project investigates the feasibility of developing an aircraft-mounted LWC probe
which will ascertain the LWC from measurements of water film thickness and determine
the probability of a hazard caused by heavy rainfall rates.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  The LWC probe might become a standard warning
indicator in aircraft cockpits if research shows that high rainfall rates are hazardous
to aircraft operations, .