76th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics
Sunday–Tuesday, November 19–21, 2023;
Washington, DC
Session A20: Superhydrophobic Surfaces
8:00 AM–9:18 AM,
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Room: 146C
Chair: Hui Hu, Iowa State University
Abstract: A20.00006 : An Advanced Aircraft Deicing Analysis: Supercooled Liquid Dynamics under Ultrasonic Frequency and Surface Roughness Effects
9:05 AM–9:18 AM
Abstract
Presenter:
Kevin Thomas Fernandez
(Virginia Tech)
Authors:
Kevin Thomas Fernandez
(Virginia Tech)
Olivier Coutier-Delgosha
(Graduate Advisor)
Collaboration:
Joe el Ghossein
Structural icing is a significant engineering challenge that has prompted extensive research into thermal, mechanical, and cavitation preventive measures. Common solutions involve, high-power consumption that add to the aircraft weight and the spray of anti-icing chemicals, but new complexities arise from water droplets freezing at supercooled levels, leading to increased weight, drag, and de-icing power requirements. To address this, a novel approach combines Ultrasonic-Guided Waves (UGW) with piezoelectric (PZT) actuators and explores surface roughness variation of a superhydrophobic surface. This research builds upon previous work on rough surfaces and briefly discusses two suitable fabrication methods. A gap in the literature exists for controlled environment frequencies above 20 kHz, which is being addressed through the development of a custom environment featuring precise temperature control and other equipment. The study spans various heights and frequencies (20 kHz to 51 kHz) to determine the optimal range. The focus is on constructing a specialized experimental setup based on insights gained from experiments at Argonne National Laboratory and from the work that has been previously done in the project. Two core aspects are emphasized: ultrasonic actuation with a focus on atomization and the study of droplet dynamics at temperatures below -15°C within a controlled environment. The experimental methodology involves adjusting frequency, amplitude, and velocity parameters to draw relevant conclusions. Aluminium is used as the substrate for its accuracy and reliability. In conclusion, the research aims to tackle structural icing through the innovative combination of Ultrasonic-Guided Waves and PZT actuators, while also exploring the impact of surface roughness and droplet dynamics during the water-to-ice transition. The custom-built environment ultrasonic wave actuation using disk actuator integration offer promising solutions for more efficient and cost-effective de-icing methods.