cloud seeding materials and equipment
equipment
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Cloud seeding can use ground-based generators and/or aircraft seeding methods. RHS Consulting builds state of the art cloud seeding equipment. We work alone and with other companies to design and manufacture standard and specialized cloud seeding generators and materials, including pyrotechnics and seeding solutions. Specialized tracers such as cesium, ribidium, and indium can be added to standard seeding materials that uniquely tag their release points. These tracers have been used successfully to identify simultaneous aircraft and ground based seeding materials in the precipitation at ground level. Tracers make it possible to pinpoint sources without having to resort to randomized seeding methods and minimize environmental impacts on operational seeding programs.
RHS also employs microwave radiometers to continuously measure supercooled liquid water, cloud vapor and temperature profiles to identify the best altitudes and times to seed clouds in winter storms. Radiometer data is used operationally to find the height of the top of the supercooled liquid water cloud and where to fly a seeding aircraft to maximize sweep out of available cloud water and seeded precipitation. The radiometer allows for RHS staff to seed more precisely and efficiently as winter storms can change rapidly during a cloud seeding mission. |
FLARES
Flare Overview
Flares developed by RHS are modified to slow the ice formation rates to compensate for the low liquid water content in winter clouds. The RHS designed flares produce much higher ice yields and has a two degree warmer activation temperature due to the chemical composition and smaller median particle sizes.
An aircraft seeding program is designed to augment snowfall in high elevation terrain in order to enhance streamflow for hydroelectric generation and water supply. Aircraft seeding can use endburning or ejectable flares depending on storm conditions. The flares are dropped or ejected into clouds that contain supercooled water in order to increase precipitation. RHS uses custom flight tracks for precise targeting based on storm conditions so that the additional precipitation falls into the project area. Choosing the correct flare for each seeding event allows the aircraft to remain at safe altitudes while dispersing seeding aerosols in the lower layers of the cloud where supercooled water is located
Flares developed by RHS are modified to slow the ice formation rates to compensate for the low liquid water content in winter clouds. The RHS designed flares produce much higher ice yields and has a two degree warmer activation temperature due to the chemical composition and smaller median particle sizes.
An aircraft seeding program is designed to augment snowfall in high elevation terrain in order to enhance streamflow for hydroelectric generation and water supply. Aircraft seeding can use endburning or ejectable flares depending on storm conditions. The flares are dropped or ejected into clouds that contain supercooled water in order to increase precipitation. RHS uses custom flight tracks for precise targeting based on storm conditions so that the additional precipitation falls into the project area. Choosing the correct flare for each seeding event allows the aircraft to remain at safe altitudes while dispersing seeding aerosols in the lower layers of the cloud where supercooled water is located
End Burning and Ejectable Flares
End burning Flares
Aircraft seeding uses end burning flares to disperse cloud seeding aerosols into clouds during winter storms. Aircraft seeding is most effective when the materials are dispersed directly into the portions of the clouds that contain supercooled liquid water. Seeding using end burning flares is most effective during winter storm seeding events when the aircraft is able to fly directly in the clouds where the supercooled water is located. End burning flares release a ribbon of aeresols that disperse within clouds at flight level to make seeded ice crystals.
Ejectable Flares
Using end burning flares when the clouds are well below flight level is not effective because the seeding materials cannot be directly dispersed into the supercooled liquid water clouds. The solution to this problem is to seed the clouds using ejectable flares during these periods. Ejectable flares are smaller in size but still use the same chemical formulation. Due to the smaller size ejectable flares burn more quickly. The burn rate is important as the flares are released at a lower elevation. Ejectable flares fall below the aircraft and form a curtain of aerosols within the lower layers of the clouds.
Aircraft seeding uses end burning flares to disperse cloud seeding aerosols into clouds during winter storms. Aircraft seeding is most effective when the materials are dispersed directly into the portions of the clouds that contain supercooled liquid water. Seeding using end burning flares is most effective during winter storm seeding events when the aircraft is able to fly directly in the clouds where the supercooled water is located. End burning flares release a ribbon of aeresols that disperse within clouds at flight level to make seeded ice crystals.
Ejectable Flares
Using end burning flares when the clouds are well below flight level is not effective because the seeding materials cannot be directly dispersed into the supercooled liquid water clouds. The solution to this problem is to seed the clouds using ejectable flares during these periods. Ejectable flares are smaller in size but still use the same chemical formulation. Due to the smaller size ejectable flares burn more quickly. The burn rate is important as the flares are released at a lower elevation. Ejectable flares fall below the aircraft and form a curtain of aerosols within the lower layers of the clouds.
AIRCRAFT SEEDING
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All of our materials have been specifically designed for winter clouds. RHS Consulting has extensive experience in high yield cloud seeding flares and solutions that activate at lower temperatures than the standard seeding materials. Improved flares and seeding materials become essential as the impact of climate change and pollution take effect. Our materials change the effectiveness of seeding aerosols more than a thousand times in the warmer temperature range of -4 to -8 C when compared with traditional cloud seeding materials.
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