In recent years, ice crystal icing has emerged as a prominent and challenging research area in aircraft and engine anti-icing. This paper presents a computational model for accurate prediction of the ice crystal icing process. The proposed model encompasses a trajectory model that accounts for irregular ice crystal shapes, an adhesion model, an erosion model, and a thermodynamic model for icing. The multi-step method is employed to simulate the ice accumulation process, involving the updating of the airflow field, ice crystal particle trajectories, and thermodynamic calculations at each time step. Additionally, the dynamic mesh technology is utilized to update the geometric boundaries of the ice formation. The research findings demonstrate that the application of the multi-step method enables stable simulation of ice formation. The stability of the ice shapes is attributed to the combined effects of reduced adhesion on the surface of ice crystals and increased erosion on pre-existing ice, ultimately leading to a dynamic equilibrium between the adhesion and erosion processes. It should be noted that the proposed model and computational approach in this paper are specifically suited for low melting rate conditions, which can guide the precise simulation of three-dimensional structural ice crystal icing in future investigations. While high melting rate scenarios would necessitate consideration of the downstream flow of ice in the future.

Aircraft can encounter ice accretion on the windward surface as they fly through clouds that contain sub-cooled water droplet, which can then affect the aircraft performance and pose extremely serious threats to the flight safety. Electrothermal deicing is an important measure for aircraft icing protection. In this study, the numerical model and method for electrothermal deicing together with an unsteady heat conduction model have been established. Based on the “National Numerical Windtunnel” PHengLEI platform, the newly proposed model for unsteady electrothermal deicing is integrated. By comparing with the simulation results of widely used commercial CFD software and experimental data, the accuracy of the integrated unsteady electrothermal deicing program is verified. Simulations for electrothermal deicing under certain working conditions are carried out. Through analyses of the calculated surface overflow water, surface temperature and icing volume, it is found that a reasonable design of the heater layout, the heating heat flux and the electric heating deicing control rate, can help achieve the safe operation of the electrothermal deicing system and improve the efficient use of energy.