Aircraft Icing Research at NASA Glenn Research Center
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 26, Issue 2
Abstract
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Glenn Research Center (GRC; and its predecessor organizations) has been and continues to be a focal point for research in the field of aircraft icing. This paper provides a historical perspective on the contributions that GRC research has made to the field, as well as a synopsis of the current research being conducted at the center. The GRC’s icing research has been comprehensive, covering the characterization of the icing environment, investigations into the physics of ice accretion on aircraft surfaces, studies of the impact of icing on aircraft aerodynamics and engine performance, icing instrumentation development, and simulation of ice growth on aircraft using wind tunnels and computational methods. This research has led to improved safety for flight in icing conditions through contributions to the development of icing regulations; a greater understanding of the effects of ice accretion; and the development of experimental and computational methods to aid in the design of aircraft and aircraft subsystems (including ice protection systems) that can operate safely in an icing environment.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Acker, L. W. (1948). “Preliminary results of natural icing of an axial-flow turbojet engine.” RM-E8C18, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Addy, H. E., Jr. (2000). “Ice accretions and icing effects for modern airfoils.” TP-2000-210031, NASA, Washington, DC.
Addy, H. E., Jr., Miller, D. R., and Ide, R. F. (1997). “A study of large droplet ice accretion in the NASA Lewis IRT at near-freezing conditions.” TM-107424, NASA, Cleveland.
Addy, H. E., Jr., and Veres, J. P. (2011). “An overview of NASA engine ice-crystal icing research.” TM-2011-217254, NASA, Washington, DC.
Anderson, D. N. (2004). “Manual of scaling methods.” CR-2004-212875, NASA, Washington, DC.
Anderson, D. N., and Ruff, G. A. (1997). “Scaling methods for simulating aircraft in-flight icing encounters.” TM-107538, NASA, Cleveland.
Anderson, D. N., and Shin, J. (1997). “Characterization of ice roughness from simulated icing encounters.” TM-107400 (AIAA 97-0052), NASA, Washington, DC.
Anderson, D. N., and Tsao, J. (2008). “Ice shape scaling for aircraft in SLD conditions.” CR-2008-215302, NASA, Washington, DC.
Bergrun, N. R. (1951). “An empirical method permitting rapid determination of the area, rate, and distribution of water-drop impingement on an airfoil of arbitrary section at subsonic speeds.” TN-2476, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Bidwell, C. S. (2011). “Super cooled large droplet analysis of several geometries using LEWICE3D version 3.” TM-2011-216945 (AIAA 2010-7675), NASA, Cleveland.
Bidwell, C. S., and Mohler, S. R., Jr. (1995). “Collection efficiency and ice accretion calculations for a sphere, a swept MS(1)–317 wing, a swept NACA–0012 wing tip, an axisymmetric inlet, and a Boeing 737–300 inlet.” TM-106831 (AIAA 95-0755), NASA, Cleveland.
Bidwell, C. S., and Papadakis, M. (2005). “Collection efficiency and ice accretion characteristics of two full scale and one 1/4 scale business jet horizontal tails.” TM-2005-213653 (SAE-2000-01-1683), NASA, Cleveland.
Bidwell, C. S., and Potapczuk, M. G. (1993). “Users manual for the NASA Lewis three-dimensional ice accretion code (LEWICE 3D).” TM-105974, NASA, Washington, DC.
Blaha, B. J., and Evanich, P. L. (1981). “Pneumatic boot for helicopter rotor deicing.” CP-2170-PT-2, NASA, Washington, DC, 425–443.
Bragg, M. B. (1982). “Rime ice accretion and its effect on airfoil performance.” CR-165599, NASA, Cleveland.
Bragg, M. B. (1994). “An experimental study of the aerodynamics of a swept and unswept semispan wing with a simulated glaze ice accretion.” CR-195330, NASA, Cleveland.
Bragg, M. B., and Khodadoust, A. (1988). “Experimental measurements in a large separation bubble due to a simulated glaze ice shape.” 88-0116, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Britton, R. K. (1992). “Development of an analytical method to predict helicopter main rotor performance in icing conditions.” CR-189110 (AIAA 92-0418), NASA, Cleveland.
Britton, R. K., Bond, T. H., and Flemming, R. J. (1994). “An overview of a model rotor icing test in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel.” TM-106471 (AIAA 94-0716), NASA, Cleveland.
Broeren, A. P., Addy, H. E., Jr., Bragg, M. B., Busch, G. T., Guffond, D., and Montreuil, E. (2011). “Aerodynamic simulation of ice accretion on airfoils.” TP-2011-216929, NASA, Cleveland.
Broughton, H., Sims, J., and Vargas, M. (1996). “Determination of local densities in accreted ice samples using x-ray and digital imaging.” TM-107106, NASA, Washington, DC.
Brun, R. J., Lewis, W., Perkins, P. J., and Serafini, J. S. (1955). “Impingement of cloud droplets on a cylinder and procedure for measuring liquid-water content and droplet sizes in supercooled clouds by rotating multicylinder method.” TR-1215, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Cober, S. G., Isaac, G. A., and Strapp, J. W. (2001). “Characterizations of aircraft icing environments that include supercooled large drops.” J. Appl. Meteorol., 40(11), 1984–2002.
Dorsch, R. G., and Hacker, P. T. (1950). “Photomicrographic investigation of spontaneous freezing temperatures of supercooled water droplets.” TN-2142, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Dukhan, N., Vanfossen, G. J., Jr., Masiulaniec, K. C., and Dewitt, K. J. (1995). “Convective heat transfer from castings of ice roughened surfaces in horizontal flight.” TM-107109, NASA, Cleveland.
Essex, H. A., Ellisman, C., and Zlotowsky, E. D. (1946a). “Investigation of ice formation in the induction system of an aircraft engine II: Flight tests.” MR-E6E16, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Essex, H. A., Zlotowsky, E. D., and Ellisman, C. (1946b). “Investigation of ice formation in the induction system of an aircraft engine I: Ground tests.” MR-E6B28, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Fleming, W. A., and Saari, M. J. (1948). “Inlet icing and effectiveness of hot-gas bleedback for ice protection of turbojet engine.” RM-E8J25c, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Flemming, R. J., Britton, R. K., and Bond, T. H. (1994). “Role of wind tunnels and computer codes in the certification and qualification of rotorcraft for flight in forecast icing.” TM-106747, NASA, Cleveland.
Gelder, T. F., and Lewis, J. P. (1951). “Comparison of heat transfer from airfoil in natural and simulated icing conditions.” TN-2480, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Gowan, W. H., Jr., and Muholland, D. R. (1951). “Effectiveness of thermal-pneumatic airfoil-ice-protection system.” RM-E50K10A, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Gray, V. H., Bowden, D. T., and Von Glahn, U. (1952). “Preliminary results of cyclical de-icing of a gas-heated airfoil.” RM-E51J29, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Griffin, T. (2010). “Engine icing capability enhancements for the propulsion systems laboratory.” NTRS 20100042244, NASA, Washington, DC.
Hacker, P. T. (1951). “Experimental values of the surface tension of supercooled water.” TN-2510, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Hovenac, E. (1986). “Calibration of droplet sizing and liquid water content instruments: Survey and analysis.” CR-175099 [Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-CT-86-19], NASA, Washington, DC.
Ide, R. F., and Sheldon, D. W. (2008). “2006 icing cloud calibration of the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel.” TM-2008-215177, NASA, Washington, DC.
Irvine, T. B., Oldenburg, J. R., and Sheldon, D. W. (1999). “New icing cloud simulation system at the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel.” TM-1999-208891 (AIAA 98-0143), NASA, Washington, DC.
Jorgenson, P., Veres, J., Wright, W., and May, R. (2011). “Engine icing modeling and simulation (part I): Ice crystal accretion on compression system components and modeling its effects on engine performance.” SAE 2011 Int. Conf. on Aircraft and Engine Icing and Ground Deicing, SAE International, Warrendale, PA.
Kirby, M. S., and Hansman, R. J., Jr. (1984). “Experimental measurements of heat transfer from an iced surface during artificial and natural cloud icing conditions.” 86-1352, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Langmuir, I., and Blodgett, K. B. (1946). “A mathematical investigation of water droplet trajectories.” Technical Rep. No. 5418, Army Air Forces, Washington, DC.
Leary, W. M. (2002). “‘We freeze to please’: A history of NASA’s Icing Research Tunnel and the quest for flight safety.” SP-2002-4226, NASA, Washington, DC.
Levine, J. (1950). “Statistical explanation of spontaneous freezing of water droplets.” TN-2234, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P. (1948). “De-icing effectiveness of external electric heaters for propeller blades.” TN-1520, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P. (1953). “An analytical study of heat requirements for icing protection of radomes.” RM-E53A22, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P., and Blade, R. J. (1953). “Experimental investigation of radome icing and icing protection.” RM-E52J31, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P., and Bowden, D. T. (1952). “Preliminary investigation of cyclic de-icing of an airfoil using an external electric heater.” RM-E51J30, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P., and Ruggeri, R. S. (1957). “Experimental droplet impingement on four bodies of revolution.” TN-4092, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, J. P., and Stevens, H. C., Jr. (1948). “Icing and de-icing of a propeller with internal electric blade heaters.” TN-1691, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lewis, W., Kline, D. B., and Steinmetz, C. P. (1947). “A further investigation of the meteorological conditions conducive to aircraft icing.” TN-1424, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Lilie, L., Bouley, D., and Sivo, C. (2006). “Instrument for aircraft-icing and cloud-physics measurements—Data on cloud water content are deduced from hot-wire power a levels.” 〈http://www.techbriefs.com/content/view/823/34/〉 (Jul. 22, 2012).
Lowell, H. H. (1953). “Maximum evaporation rates of water droplets approaching obstacles in the atmosphere under icing conditions.” TN-3024, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
MacArthur, C. D. (1983). “Numerical simulation of airfoil ice accretion.” 83-0112, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Mason, J. G., Strapp, J. W., and Chow, P. (2006). “The ice particle threat to engines in flight.” 2006-206, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Mikkelsen, K., Juhasz, N., Ranaudo, R., McKnight, R., Freedman, R., and Greissing, J. (1986). “In-flight measurements of wing ice shapes and wing section drag increases caused by natural icing conditions.” TM-87301, NASA, Cleveland.
Miller, D., Ratvasky, T., Bernstein, B., McDonough, F., and Strapp, J. W. (1998). “NASA/FAA/NCAR supercooled large droplet icing flight research: summary of winter 1996–1997 flight operations.” TM-1998-206620 [American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 98-0577], NASA, Washington, DC.
Miller, D. R., Lynch, C. J., and Tate, P. A. (2004). “Overview of high speed close-up imaging in an icing environment.” TM-2004-212925 (AIAA 2004-0407), NASA, Cleveland.
Miller, T. L., and Bond, T. H. (1989). “Icing research tunnel test of a model helicopter rotor.” TM-101978, NASA, Washington, DC.
Mulholland, D. R., and Perkins, P. J. (1948a). “Investigation of effectiveness of air-heating a hollow steel propeller for protection against icing. I: Unpartitioned blades.” TN-1586, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Mulholland, D. R., and Perkins, P. J. (1948b). “Investigation of effectiveness of air-heating a hollow steel propeller for protection against icing. III: 25% partitioned blades.” TN-1588, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Mulholland, D. R., Rollin, V. G., and Galvin, H. B. (1945). “Laboratory investigation of icing in the carburetor and supercharger inlet elbow of an aircraft engine I: Description of setup and testing technique.” MR-E5L13, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Narducci, R., and Kreeger, R. E. (2012). “Analysis of a hovering rotor in icing conditions.” TM-2012-217126, NASA, Cleveland.
Narducci, R., Orr, S., and Kreeger, R. E. (2012). “Application of a high-fidelity icing analysis method to a model-scale rotor in forward flight.” TM-2012-217122, NASA, Cleveland.
NASA. (2002). “Deicing and anti-icing unite.” NP-2002-09-290-HQ, NASA, Washington, DC.
Papadakis, M., Elangovan, E., Freund, G. A., Jr., and Breer, M. D. (1987). “Experimental, water droplet impingement data on two-dimensional airfoils, axisymmetric inlet and Boeing 737–300 engine inlet.” 87-0097, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Papadakis, M., Wong, S., Rachman, A., Hung, K. E., Vu, G. T., and Bidwell, C. S. (2007). “Large and small droplet impingement data on airfoils and two simulated ice shapes.” TM-2007-213959, NASA, Washington, DC.
Papadakis, M., Zumwalt, G. W., Kim, J. J., Elangovan, R., and Freund, G. A., Jr. (1986). “An experimental method for measuring droplet impingement efficiency on two- and three-dimensional bodies.” 86-0406, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Perkins, P. J., and Mulholland, D. R. (1948). “Investigation of effectiveness of air-heating a hollow steel propeller for protection against icing. II: 50% partitioned blades.” TN-1587, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Perkins, P. J., McCullough, S., and Lewis, R. D. (1951). “A simplified instrument for recording and indicating frequency and intensity of icing conditions encountered in flight.” RM-E51E16, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Poinsatte, P. E. (1990). “Heat transfer measurements from a NACA 0012 airfoil in flight and in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel.” CR-4278, NASA, Washington, DC.
Poinsatte, P. E., Vanfossen, G. J., and Dewitt, K. J. (1989). “Convective heat transfer measurements from a NACA 0012 airfoil in flight and in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel.” TM-102448, NASA, Washington, DC.
Potapczuk, M. G. (1993). “Navier-stokes analysis of airfoils with leading edge ice accretions.” CR-191008, NASA, Cleveland.
Potapczuk, M. G. (2003). “Ice mass measurements: implications for the ice accretion process.” 2003-387, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA.
Potapczuk, M. G., and Berkowitz, B. M. (1989). “An experimental investigation of multi-element airfoil ice accretion and resulting performance degradation.” TM-101441 (AIAA 89-0752), NASA, Cleveland.
Preston, G. M., and Blackman, C. C. (1948). “Effects of ice formations on airplane performance in level cruising flight.” TN-1598, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Ratvasky, T. P., and Ranaudo, R. J. (1993). “Icing effects on aircraft stability and control determined from flight data: Preliminary results.” TM-105977, NASA, Cleveland.
Ratvasky, T. P., VanZante, J. F., and Riley, J. T. (1999). “NASA/FAA tailplane icing program overview.” TM-1999-208901 (AIAA 99-0370), NASA, Cleveland.
Reehorst, A., Chung, J., Potapczuk, M., Choo, Y., Wright, W., and Langhals, T. (1999). “An experimental and numerical study of icing effects on the performance and controllability of a twin engine aircraft.” TM-1999-208896 (AIAA 99-0374), NASA, Cleveland.
Reehorst, A. L., et al. (2009). “Progress towards the remote sensing of aircraft icing hazards.” TM-2009-215828, NASA, Cleveland.
Reehorst, A. L., Brinker, D. J., Ratvasky, T. P., Ryerson, C. C., and Koenig, G. G. (2005a). “The NASA icing remote sensing system.” TM-2005-213591, NASA, Cleveland.
Reehorst, A. L., Brinker, D. J., and Ratvasky, T. P. (2005b). “NASA icing remote sensing system comparisons from AIRS II.” TM-2005-213592 (AIAA 2005-0253), NASA, Cleveland.
Reehorst, A. L., and Koenig, G. G. (2001). “Ground-based icing condition remote sensing system definition.” TM-2001-211102, NASA, Cleveland.
Reinmann, J. J. (1981). “Selected bibliography of NACA-NASA aircraft icing publications.” TM-81651, NASA, Washington, DC.
Reinmann, J. J., Shaw, R. J., and Olsen, W. A., Jr. (1982). “NASA Lewis Research Center’s program on icing research.” TM-83031 (AIAA 83-0204), NASA, Washington, DC.
Runyan, L. J., Zierten, T. A., Hill, E. G., and Addy, H. E., Jr. (1992). “Lewis Icing Research Tunnel test of the aerodynamic effects of aircraft ground deicing/anti-icing fluids.” TP-3238, NASA, Washington, DC.
Ryerson, C. C., Politovich, M. K., Rancourt, K. L., Koenig, G. G., Reinking, R. F., and Miller, D. R. (2003). “Overview of Mount Washington Icing Sensors project.” TM-2003-212453 (AIAA 2000-0488), NASA, Cleveland.
Shaw, R. J., Reinmann, J. J., and Miller, T. J. (1988). “NASA’s rotorcraft icing research program.” NTRS 19880007258, NASA, Washington, DC, 802–832.
Shin, J. (1994). “Characteristics of surface roughness associated with leading edge ice accretion.” TM-106459 (AIAA 94-0799), NASA, Cleveland.
Smith, W. L. (1929). “Weather problems peculiar to the New York-Chicago airway.” Mon. Weather Rev., 57(12), 503–506.
Struk, P. M., et al. (2012). “Fundamental ice crystal accretion physics studies.” TM-2012-217429 (SAE 2011-38-0018), NASA, Cleveland.
Van Fossen, G. J., Simoneau, R. J., Olsen, W. A., and Shaw, R. J. (1984). “Heat transfer distributions around nominal ice accretion shapes formed on a cylinder in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel.” TM-83557, NASA, Washington, DC.
Vargas, M., Broughton, H., Sims, J. J., Bleeze, B., and Gaines, V. (2005). “Local and total density measurements in ice shapes.” TM-2005-213440 (AIAA 2005-0657), NASA, Cleveland.
Vargas, M., and Kreeger, R. E. (2011). “Measurement of the critical distance parameter against icing conditions on a NACA 0012 swept wing tip.” TM-2011-216966 (AIAA 2009-4123), NASA, Cleveland.
Vargas, M., and Reshotko, E. (1998). “Physical mechanisms of glaze ice scallop formations on swept wings.” TM-1998-206616 (AIAA 98-0491), NASA, Cleveland.
Vargas, M., and Tsao, J. (2007). “Observations on the growth of roughness elements into icing feathers.” TM-2007-214932, NASA, Washington, DC.
Von Glahn, U., Callaghan, E. E., and Gray, V. H. (1951). “NACA investigations of icing-protection systems for turbojet engine installations.” RM-E51B12, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Von Glahn, U., and Renner, C. E. (1946). “Development of a protected air scoop for the reduction of induction-system icing.” TN-1134, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Von Glahn, U. H. (1956). “Use of truncated flapped airfoils for impingement and icing tests of full-scale leading-edge sections.” RM-E56E11, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Wright, W. B. (2005). “Validation results for LEWICE 3.0.” CR-2005-213561 (AIAA 2005-1243), NASA, Cleveland.
Wright, W. B. (2006). “Further refinement of the LEWICE SLD model.” CR-2006-214132, NASA, Washington, DC.
Wright, W. B. (2008). “User’s manual for LEWICE version 3.2.” CR-2008-214255, NASA, Cleveland.
Wright, W. B., and Rutkowski, A. (1999). “Validation results for LEWICE 2.0.” CR-1999-208690, NASA, Cleveland.
Zumwalt, G. W., Schrag, R. L., Bernhart, W. D., and Friedberg, R. A. (1988). “Electro impulse de-icing testing analysis and design.” CR-4175, NASA, Washington, DC.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 26 • Issue 2 • April 2013
Pages: 260 - 276
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 28, 2012
Accepted: Dec 11, 2012
Published online: Mar 15, 2013
Published in print: Apr 1, 2013
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.