DESIGN OF SUBSCALE AIRFOILS WITH FULL-SCALE LEADING EDGES FOR ICE ACCRETION TESTING

A design procedure for subscale airfoils with full-scale leading edges that exhibit full-scale water droplet impingement characteristics in an incompressible, inviscid flow is presented, The design procedure us es validated airfoil design, flow analysis, and water droplet impingem ent simulation codes to accomplish the task, To identify and isolate i mportant design variables in the design, numerous trade studies were p erformed, This paper presents the results of the trade studies and bri efly discusses the role of important design variables in the subscale airfoil design. The effect of these design variables on circulation, v elocity distribution, and impingement characteristics is discussed alo ng with the accompanying implications and compromises in the design, A strategy to incorporate viscous effects into the design is also prese nted, This article also presents the design of a half-scale airfoil mo del with a 5% upper and 20% lower full-scale surface of the Learjet 30 5 airfoil leading edge and compares its aerodynamic as well as the dro plet impingement characteristics with that of the Learjet 305 airfoil.