Ice-Melting Probe Using Steam and Jets of Hot Water
TBMG-2235
01/01/2002
- Content
An improved probe has been proposed for burrowing vertically into ice for scientific exploration of polar icecaps, glaciers, and the like. The predecessor of the improved probe is a Philbert probe, which contains an electric heater to melt the ice in contact with it and thereby make it descend through the ice under its own weight. A Philbert probe also contains a mechanism from which the wires for the electric heater and any sensors in the probe are paid out behind the probe; these wires become sealed into the overlying ice as the probe descends. The two major drawbacks of a Philbert probe are that (1) it tends not to go straight down and (2) a plug of dust, sand, rock, and/or other debris tends to build up in the meltwater ahead of the probe, eventually becoming large enough to halt the descent by interrupting the heat-transfer interface between the vehicle nose and the ice. The improved probe is designed to eliminate these drawbacks.
- Citation
- "Ice-Melting Probe Using Steam and Jets of Hot Water," Mobility Engineering, January 1, 2002.