Numerical Simulations and Sensitivity Analysis of Ice Formation on Fan Blades

Abstract In-flight icing, the formation of ice during flight, poses risks to the safety and reliability of aircraft. Due to environmental conditions, ice accumulation occurs on the low-pressure compressor blades of an engine, diminishing aerodynamic performance and potentially causing damage to the engine. Numerical simulations of ice accretion are conducted on the blades of the NASA Rotor 67 utilizing the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS CFX and the in-flight icing software FENSAP-ICE. One-dimensional and two-dimensional sensitivity studies aim to analyze the influences of temperature, droplet diameter and liquid water content (LWC) on the resulting ice build-up on the blade. The analyses reveal that ice accumulates predominantly at the leading edge of the blade, where collection efficiency is maximal. Additionally, an ice layer forms at the blade root on the pressure side. While LWC and temperature exerts a significant influence on the ice mass, only a marginal impact on droplet diameter is observed.