PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Definition of a super cooled water droplet?
Old 16th October 2001 | 02:14
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Manflex55
 
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: France & UK
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To add a few things to auto's answer :

The SWDs cause clear ice, the nr 1 ice-related problem in flight.
They can exist from -40 to 0°C, being largest between -10 & 0°C
They have a size proportional to the vertical development of their cloud (ie small in shallow lyr cloud, large in CB & thick NS).

For physics freaks, it has been demonstrated that about 1/80th of each SWD freezes on impact for each 1°C below 0°C, eg :

* at -4°C : 4/80th of the SWD will freeze on impact & 76/80th will flow back => the clear ice amount is a major factor

* at -34°C : 34/80th will freeze on impact & 46/80th will flow back => less clear ice => safer flying conditions

MF
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