Icing on Airfoil, ANSYS Fluent CFD Simulation

Description

In this project, we present a numerical simulation of the Icing process on an Airfoil using ANSYS Fluent software. We have modeled a 3D airfoil, considering the surrounding airflow as the computational domain.

Icing Definition

Icing is the production process of forming an ice layer on flying objects. This icing phenomenon is caused by the impingement and freezing of supercooled droplets or the accumulation of ice crystals onto air vehicles flying in cold airflow.

Methodology

We carried out the icing simulation in three principal steps (with corresponding appropriate solvers) in ANSYS Fluent software:

1. Airflow Simulation

2. Particles Calculation

3. Ice Accretion Simulation

Airflow Solver:

We simulate the traditional airflow (without icing) around the airfoil to provide a basic analysis from an aerodynamic point of view.

Particles Solver:

We set Fluent launcher to the Enterprise level to use the Icing solver in ANSYS Fluent. Then, we import the initial solution data obtained from the airflow simulation.

In the present project, we only model Droplets as the particle type required for preparing the icing process. These supercooled water droplets exist in liquid form at lower ambient temperatures.

Ice Accretion Solver:

After the particle calculations are complete, it is time for the final calculations to simulate icing.

In the present project, we define the Glaze model as the physical model described the icing condition. This is the most comprehensive model that can operate above and below freezing temperatures.

Conclusion

We represent the final results in two sections (airflow simulation and icing simulation):

1. We obtained contours related to the distribution of the velocity, pressure, and temperature. These velocity and pressure distributions around the airfoil confirm the reasonable behavior of the airfoil from an aerodynamic approach.

2. We obtained the distribution contours corresponding to the various icing variables, including ice thickness, ice film thickness, and ice growth. In addition, since we have modeled the droplet particle type, we obtained the distribution contours for ice concentration and ice collection. These resulting distributions confirm the ice generation on the airfoil concentrated on the attack edge, where the initial impingement of the airflow containing water supercooled droplets occurs.