FURI | Spring 2018

Effect of Flow Rate on Interfacial Fracture between Ice and Steel

The researcher investigated how the flow rate of a misted water spray on cold surfaces affects the resulting ice structure and interfacial fracture strength. To accomplish this, a misting apparatus was constructed in which the distance between the misting nozzle and target surface is adjustable. The resulting ice layer was characterized and fracture tests were conducted to determine how the spray conditions affect ice structure and mode II interfacial fracture strength. These findings can help remove ice more efficiently on naval vessels during cold, windy conditions, such as in the Arctic, where icing on ships is both prevalent and dangerous.