Numerical simulation of runback film breakup on two-dimensional anti-icing airfoil surface

In order to accurately estimate the heat-load of the anti-icing system of airfoil, the numerical simulation of runback flow state on the two-dimensional anti-icing airfoil surface was presented. Based on shear-driven model, the velocity distributions before and after film breakup were derived respectively. By introducing the minimum energy criteria, the rivulet model was established, and the critical thickness of film breakup was solved by numerical method. By using the user defined function method in Fluent software to program and load the calculation procedures, the flow characteristics of runback flow were obtained based on film model and rivulet model respectively. The results indicate that, under a certain icing condition, the ranges of the runback flow increase by 33% and 17% in two different examples respectively due to the rivulet model, thus largely affecting the distribution of the heat-load of the anti-icing system.