Three-dimensional Numerical Simulation of Ice Accretion on an Engine Inlet Strut

Icing on aircraft engine inlet components can impair performance and safety. This study numerically simulates the icing process on a full-scale engine inlet strut under real operating conditions. A modified Shallow-Water Icing Model (SWIM) and an automatic icing type-detection algorithm were employed to predict water film flow and icing phase changes, calculated with a self-developed program. The models' accuracy was validated through comparison of simulated three-dimensional ice shapes on a NACA۰۰۱۲ airfoil with experimental results. Based on this validation, we conducted a numerical analysis of the unsteady icing process of the strut, focusing on the effects of inflow temperature, velocity, and other factors on icing. The results demonstrate that ice horn formation significantly influences ice shape development, with the maximum local water collection efficiency shifting from the stagnation point to the ice horns over time, thereby accentuating the dual-horn characteristic. Inflow velocity impacts icing differently depending on temperature. At -۱۰°C, low velocities produce dual-horn ice, while high velocities yield streamlined ice due to aerodynamic heating, reducing ice thickness at the stagnation point by ۱۸.۵%. At -۲۰°C, low velocities result in streamlined ice, whereas high velocities promote dual-horn ice due to higher airflow recovery temperatures, leading to a ۱۲۱.۹% increase in ice thickness at the stagnation point.

کلیدواژه ها:

Aircraft icing ، Engine inlet strut ، Numerical simulation ، Ice layer development ، Icing characteristics