Address

Austrian Institute for Icing Sciences
Rathausplatz 1-4
8580 Köflach
Austria

Austrian Institute for Icing Sciences

The Austrian Institute for Icing Sciences is a research association specialized in the field of aircraft icing with the goal to increase efficiency and safety in aviation. Aircraft icing is a complex phenomenon and has critical effects on flight characteristics and performance. Reliable and effective ice protection systems are a must-have for safe operation in icing conditions. System design, testing and certification is crucial for safety and success of future aircraft, helicopters and UAVs.

AIIS has developed a unique and innovative method for documentation, evaluation, simulation and validation of icing tests. This contributes to a better understanding of the complex physical processes which occur during icing conditions and enables an improved and more efficient system development process for industry partners. The institute is participating in national and international research projects and is working together with authorities, a wide range of companies in the aviation industry and other research institutions.

Role in the project

WP 2 – Experimental methods
  • AIIS develops a tool for analyzing and evaluating video recordings of ice shedding events in terms of shedding trajectories, size and momentum of ice projectiles.
  • The in a previous project developed 4D scanning prototype, which enables time resolved 3D scanning is further improved as part of the project with respect to scan resolution and overall performance.
  • Artificial ice shapes can be utilized to mimic the characteristics of real ice and used for validation in dry wind tunnel tests and flight tests. During the project, the additive manufacturing process is improved and validated. Furthermore, aerodynamic and certification aspects are taken into consideration for artificial ice shapes for wings and rotor blades.
WP 3 – Numerical methods
  • Design and manufacturing of 2D and 3D aircraft wing mock-up for icing wind tunnel validation tests.
  • Documentation of the final ice accretion on the test objects by means of 3D scanning during the tests performed at the RTA icing wind tunnel.
  • Evaluation of the generated 3D data and determination of parameters like ice thickness and ice surface roughness
  • Implementation of data in the online accessible and searchable validation database operated by AIIS.
WP 4 – Ice detection and ice protection systems
  • Performance of CFD Simulations of the Rotor Ice Shed Protection (RISP) system
  • 3D documentation and evaluation of residual ice shapes of hybrid IPS for rotor and wing test objects