Effect of Simulated Ice Geometry on Airfoil Aerodynamics at Low Reynolds Number

It is well-known that ice accretion can adversely impact the aerodynamic performance of airfoils and wings. In this work, we conducted an experimental investigation on the impact of different ice shapes on the flow around airfoils. The NACA 23012 and the GLC-305 airfoils were tested at a low-reynolds wind tunnel, which included forces, moments and surface pressure were evaluated, and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used for flow field measurement. The studied ice type was a simulated single horn based on the glaze ice accreted on airfoil leading edge, with different heights and chord position. The parametric approach was applied in order to vary the ice geometric characteristics. Evaluation was performed with the ice shape extruded throughout the entire span of the airfoil, and the objective of this research was to provide a flowfield-physics perspective on the flow with different ice geometries and its effect on the overall aerodynamic performance of the airfoil under low Reynolds conditions.