Numerical Study of Ice Accretion on Fan Blades: Implications for the Design of Blade Geometries

Abstract Ice formation on aircraft components due to the impact of supercooled droplets poses a severe safety risk. In particular, the formation of ice on the fan blades can lead to vibrations that affect the entire engine. While numerous studies have examined the effects of environmental conditions on ice accumulation, the influence of blade geometry has received little attention. This study investigates how variations in blade geometry affect ice accretion in a low-pressure compressor using a numerical approach. A Design of Experiments (DoE) is conducted on the NASA Rotor67, focusing on the sensitivity of ice formation to geometric modifications. The workflow includes geometry generation (ParaBlade), flow simulation (ANSYS CFX), and ice accretion modeling (ANSYS FENSAP-ICE) under rime ice conditions. The results reveal a strong correlation between the inlet metal angle and both accreted ice mass and maximum ice thickness. Furthermore, designs with good aerodynamic performance tend to exhibit higher ice accumulation. These findings enhance the understanding of icing behavior in low-pressure compressors and offer valuable insights for optimizing blade design in adverse environmental conditions.