National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Icing Research

Tunnel

NASA’s Aeronautics Test Program

The Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) is one of the world's largest refrigerated wind tunnels 

dedicated to study aircraft icing. In this facility, natural icing conditions are duplicated to test

the effects of in-flight icing on actual aircraft components and models of aircraft, including 

helicopters.

A variety of tests are performed in the IRT including fundamental studies of icing physics, 

icing prediction validation, and ice protection system development and certification. 

These tests have been used successfully to reduce flight test hours for ice detection 

instrumentation and ice protection systems certification.

From left to right: Bell 609 

spinner inlet icing model, NASA 

scaling test, Longbow model, 

Sikorsky rotor model, and Ram 

air turbine.

www.nasa.gov
 

Facility Benefits

•	 Replicates the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft icing 

certification standards contained in Federal Aviation Regulation 

(FAR) part 25, appendix C

•	 Tests full-size aircraft components as well as models of airplanes 

and helicopters

•	 Creates a uniform test section icing cloud approximately 4.5 ft high 

by 6 ft wide

•	 Tests aircraft de-icing and anti-icing systems

•	 Enables detailed analysis and electronic storage of ice shape data 

in addition to a wide variety of data collection and observation 

method

•	 Provides permanent casting and physical tracing of ice formations 

for extended study

•	 Accommodates in-house and private industry research programs

•	 Employs an experienced staff of technicians, engineers, 

researchers, and operators

Facility Applications

•	 Develop and test aircraft de-icing and antiicing systems for use on the ground and in 

flight

•	 Provide data to customers for the 

certification of components and aircraft

•	 Research basic icing physics and the aero 

effect of ice

•	 Validation of icing computer codes, in 

particular the NASA code LEWICE

•	 Support a diverse group of customers 

including the NASA Aeronautics 

Research Mission Directorate and 

aircraft companies such as Boeing, 

Bell Helicopter, Goodrich, Cessna, and 

Sikorsky; de-icing and anti-icing equipment 

manufacturers; U.S. Army; U.S. Navy; and 

U.S. Air Force

Characteristics

Test section dimensions 6 ft high by 9 ft wide by 20 ft long

Liquid water content (LWC) 0.2 to 3.0 g/m3

Drop size and median volume diameter (MVD) 15 to 50 μm

Uniform icing cloud dimensions 4.5 by 6 ft

Cloud uniformity, LWC ±10 percent

Test section air velocity 50 to 350 KTS

Test section total temperature –25 to 5  ̊C

Simulated engine flow 0.1 to 85 lb/s

Heated auxiliary air (bleed simulation) Up to 1 lb/s

Instrumentation

Pressure Measurement

Digitally scanned pressure 

system

224 channels

Pressure transducers Stand alone

Temperature Measurement

Thermocouple system 96 (type K, J, T, or E) 

channels

Resistance Temperature 

Detection (RTD) system

68 channels

Data Acquisition and Processing

Inputs Analog, digital, and electronically scanned pressure 

(ESP) system

Display Real time, alphanumeric, and plots

Capacity/channels Analog/256, Digital/32, and ESP/224 (192),

2000 calculated

Dynamic data acquisition Available upon request

Contact Information

www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/atp

Jack Oldenburg

NASA Glenn Research Center

Phone: 216–433–3583 · Fax: 216–433–8551

E-mail: John.R.Oldenburg@nasa.gov

NASA’s Aeronautics Test Program www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/atp

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