Recent developments in manufacturing techniques offer a wide range of high-performance coatings designed to improve heat and mass transfer processes. Superhydrophobic surfaces may enhance the performances of anti and de-icing devices for in-flight ice applications. Numerical modeling of the effect of such devices requires the analysis of the behavior of an ensemble of individual droplets, rather than assuming a continuous film as in standard icing codes. Here an individual-based method (IBM) is adopted. Droplets are assumed as the smaller element of the simulations, and phenomenological sub-models describe their behavior through impact on the surface, possible rebound, growth via coalescence or phase change (either freezing or evaporation), transition from still droplet to moving ones, the transition from running droplets to rivulets. The model is validated versus literature experimental data, showing the capability of the approach. It appears that hydrophobicity is not yet enough to build a passive anti-icing system but can significantly enhance the performances of typical thermal devices.
Numerical analysis of surface coatings performances for in-flight icing device performance enhancement
Croce G.
;Suzzi N.
2024-01-01
Abstract
Recent developments in manufacturing techniques offer a wide range of high-performance coatings designed to improve heat and mass transfer processes. Superhydrophobic surfaces may enhance the performances of anti and de-icing devices for in-flight ice applications. Numerical modeling of the effect of such devices requires the analysis of the behavior of an ensemble of individual droplets, rather than assuming a continuous film as in standard icing codes. Here an individual-based method (IBM) is adopted. Droplets are assumed as the smaller element of the simulations, and phenomenological sub-models describe their behavior through impact on the surface, possible rebound, growth via coalescence or phase change (either freezing or evaporation), transition from still droplet to moving ones, the transition from running droplets to rivulets. The model is validated versus literature experimental data, showing the capability of the approach. It appears that hydrophobicity is not yet enough to build a passive anti-icing system but can significantly enhance the performances of typical thermal devices.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
