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Experimental and computational study of ice accretion effects on aerodynamic performance

Prasad G. (Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Satyam College of Engineering and Technology, Nagercoil, India)
Bruce Ralphin Rose J. (Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Anna University Regional Campus, Tirunelveli, India)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 27 April 2020

222

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse an actual representation of ice accretions, which are important during the certification process.

Design/methodology/approach

Ice accretion experiments are conducted in a low-speed subsonic wind tunnel testing facility to evaluate the influence of various ice shapes around the airfoil sections. Ice accumulation changes the shapes of local airfoil sections and thereby affects the aerodynamic performance characteristics of the considered NACA 23012 profile. The ice profiles are impregnated using balsa wood with glace, horn and mixed ice accretion cases for the detailed experimental investigation.

Findings

Computational fluid dynamics analysis is done to compute the influence of different ice shapes on the aerodynamic coefficients (Cl and Cd) while ice accretion occurs at the leading edge of the airfoil sections. It is observed that the Cl and Cd modified immediately more than 40% as compared to the clean wing configuration. In the same fashion, the skin friction coefficient also abruptly changes for different ice shapes that have the potential to induce flutter at the critical speed of the airplane. The computational solutions are further validated through wind tunnel experiments and recent literature concerning certification for flight in icing conditions.

Social implications

The ice accretion study on the aerodynamic surfaces can also be extended for wind turbine blades installed at different cold regions around the globe. Further, the propeller icing influences the entire rotorcraft aerodynamics at low temperature conditions and the findings of this study are strongly connected with such problems.

Originality/value

The aerodynamic characteristics of the baseline airfoil are greatly affected by the ice accretion problem. Although flight through icing condition endures for a short duration, the takeoff path and decision speed are determined based on airplane drag as per federal aviation regulations. Hence, the proposed study is focussed on a cost-effective approach to predict the effect of ice accretion to achieve optimum performance.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors express sincere thanks to Anna University, India for using the wind tunnel facility and the computing resources to carry out this research study successfully. Further, the authors acknowledge the Institution of Engineers (R.4/2/UG/2017-18/RDUG2017026) for funding this research study.

Citation

G., P. and J., B.R.R. (2020), "Experimental and computational study of ice accretion effects on aerodynamic performance", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 92 No. 6, pp. 827-836. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-03-2019-0039

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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