Numerical simulation of an aircraft anti-icing system incorporating a rivulet model for the runback water

A numerical simulation of the anti-icing of aircraft surfaces is presented. A basic runback model was developed for the prediction of the surface water temperature as well as for the solid wall temperature distribution using a one-dimensional heat transfer approach for each domain. A variety of test cases were considered in order to validate the various numerical components of the process as well as to demonstrate the procedure.; The basic model was then improved using a basic theory regarding the breakup of a uniformly thin liquid film into individual streams or rivulets separated by dry spaces. The concept was used to accurately predict the wetness factor distribution over the surface and to more accurately describe the physics of the runback water. A two-dimensional heat transfer approach is used to calculate the temperature distributions in the runback water and the solid wall. The model allows a multi-layer representation of the solid wall with the possibility of heating the surface by means of electrical heating elements embedded within the layers, or by means of convective heating of the surface from the inside using compressor bleed air. Parametric studies were performed to investigate the effects of some of the problem variables on the results.