Analysis of parameteric influence on phase change heat transfer characteristics of 1-D and 2-D electrothermal deicing

Comparative analysis and numerical study on phase change heat transfer characteristics of one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) electrothermal deicing were presented. The effects of heating mode, cooling time, heater power and heater gap on phase change heat transfer characteristics were emphasized. The enthalpy model was applied due to the enthalpy-porous medium method. The computational domain was treated as a porous medium including multi-layer material, ice and water and mushy zone. The structured mesh topology was used to distribute the computational domain. The finite volume method was adopted to discretize the governing equations. The temperature was obtained by iteration of the energy equation coupled with the liquid volume fraction formula. The properties of the mushy zone can be obtained by linear interpolation. The interface temperature between different materials was obtained. The variation of interface temperature between ice and shield was emphasized. Due to the non-uniformity characteristics of ice-shield interface temperature of 2-D electrothermal deicing model, the temperature criterion to judge ice shedding coupled with hot point and cold point temperature of ice-shield interface was considered. It shows that periodic heating mode for high heater power is superior to continuous heating mode for low heater power. If reasonable combination of cooling time and heater power is adopted, better deicing performance and less energy consumption can be obtained. The reasonable distribution of heater gap can largely improve the deicing efficiency, but leading to the formation of hot point and cold point along ice-shield interface. It will make the ice-shield interface temperature uneven. The cold point at ice-shield interface is similar to stubborn anchor point, which will make the ice layer adhere to the shield surface firmly even if the ice at hot point melts completely. Therefore, the temperature characteristics of hot point and cold point at ice-shield interface for electrothermal deicer should be considered to judge the ice shedding from the shield surface.