Experiment on critical fragmentation velocity of partially melted ice particles impacting a rigid surface

The problem of ice crystal icing seriously affects the flight safety of aircraft, and the impact behavior of partially melted ice particles is the key to the study of engine icing. A high-speed impact test rig for partially melted ice particles was designed and constructed, and a heat transfer based ice crystal melting rate measurement method was used and calibrated. Partially melted ice particle impact experiments were conducted at different diameters, impact velocities, and melting rates, and the effect of liquid water on critical fragmentation was discussed in terms of the ice particle fragmentation model. Further, a relative water film thickness coefficient θ is defined to scale the effect of the presence of liquid water on the impact fragmentation of partially melted ice crystals, and an experimental correlation equation for the critical fragmentation velocity of partially melted ice crystals is obtained based on the experimental data. This study improved the understanding of the impact crushing mechanism of partially melted ice particles, and provided a certain theoretical basis for the impact model and the adhesion model of partially melted ice crystals.