Partial melting time model verification of a levitated ice particle

Experimental and analytical results modeling partially melting ice particles are presented in this research paper. The partially melting behavior of ice particles is of interest in the context of aircraft engines, as glaciated ice crystals partially melt inside the engine to potentially refreeze. The multi-phase flow process is complex and requires experimentally verified modeling tools to predict ice crystal ice accretion. In this study, a total of 14 experimental test cases were conducted under a controlled environment. The partially melting state was quantified using a luminescence technique with the assistance of acoustic levitation of the droplets. Analytical modeling of the melting process was then conducted. The model includes important parameters such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, or saturated vapor density into consideration to predict the partial melting state of the glaciated water droplets subjected to convective heating. The proposed model is effective in capturing the general trend of the melting curves obtained from the experimental data. The predictions of overall melting time for the entire 14 cases were found to be accurate with 4% mean discrepancy between model and experimental data for ice particles greater than 400 μm.