Numerical study of glaze and rime ice accretion along UAV’s wing span

In this study, the growth of glaze and rime ice along the UAV’s wing span was studied, the cause of the formation of these ices on the surface and the effect of ice accretion on the aerodynamic performance of the wing was investigated. For this reason, a rectangular wing with NACA 0012 airfoil section at an angle of attack of 4 degree was studied at two different temperatures. A pressure-based solver and the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model were used in commercial software. Calculations were performed at Re = 3×106. The results of the ice growth pattern indicate that there was no difference between the ice thickness on the wing span from root to middle, but from the middle to the tip, due to the increase in flow velocity, the rate of collision and the accumulation of droplets in the area increased. Also under glaze ice conditions, ice forms near the trailing edge due to the growth of the boundary layer. This calculation also proved the accuracy of this claim by performing similar calculation in the inviscid condition and the lack of ice growth near the trailing edge. On the other hand, the vortex phenomenon that occurs on the tip of the three-dimensional wings causes part of the droplets to hit the tip of the wing, resulting in the growth of a small amount of ice in this area. study of lift and drag coefficients showed that ice formation reduces the aerodynamic performance of the wing.