Technique for Ice Crystal Particle Size Measurements and Results for the National Research Council of Canada Altitude Ice Crystal Test System

This paper describes the equipment, analysis methods and results obtained for particle size measurements based on a particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) system in which a short duration laser pulse is used to backlight airborne particles. This produces high quality and high resolution images of fast moving airborne particles in a non-intrusive manner. This imaging technique is also used to examine particle morphology and 2D particle trajectory and velocity. The image analysis methods are outlined and validation test results discussed which show the measurement of reference glass beads between 20 and 400 microns were generally to within their stated size. As well, validation testing using known icing wind tunnel droplet distributions were compared with Spraytek 2000 Malvern droplet size measurements and showed agreement of the MVD's to be within ±5% for distributions having nominally 20, 40 and 80 micron MVD's. Implementing this non-intrusive shadowgraphy technique at the NRC ice crystal test system installed at its research altitude test facility (RATFac) showed ice particle size distributions could be generated from approximately 60 to700 micron median mass diameters (MMD's) with the ability to create larger particles well above 1 mm in diameter.