Water collection characteristics and anti-icing protection of engine inlet lip surface

Anti-icing of engine lip of aircraft is of great importance for flight safety. Icing on the inlet lip can lead to reduced engine efficiency and cause serious safety incidents. The study of engine anti-icing mainly involves three methods: computational simulation, icing wind tunnel tests, and flight tests. Given the cost-effectiveness of numerical simulations, this paper uses the inlet lip model and employs the N-S energy conservation control equation to analyze pressure flow field, velocity field, and water collection efficiency on the surface of the engine lip. Finally, droplet area and protection area were determined. The results indicate that with a heating power density of 2 W/cm² in the protected area, no ice formation occurred in the protected area under various operating conditions. The surface temperature of the protected area ranged from 8°C to 20°C, meeting anti-icing requirements. This study provides valuable insights for engineers designing electric anti-icing systems for engine inlet lips.