Multi-Step Ice Accretion Simulation Using the Level-Set Method

Ice accumulation in aircraft is modelled using the Level-Set (LS) method. Current two-dimensional and three-dimensional icing models are limited regarding complex re-meshing due to ice accretion. The Level-Set method allows fully multi-step simulation of ice accretion. The solid boundary is treated implicitly or explicitly. The solid body can be defined via a characteristic level set function in the former case, and as a layer or list of points in the later. Consequently, the boundary conditions for the airflow are applied through a penalization term, or by direct forcing. Correspondingly, the droplet transport is computed using an Eulerian approach in an Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) coupled with Level-Set (IBM-LS) framework, in which the droplet fields impinge on an explicit layer of cells defined by the LS function using a discrete IBM formulation of the interface.