Numerical investigation of droplet trajectories in a raindrop erosion test bench

As part of a TECCOMA research project in collaboration with industrial partners in the field of aeronautics (Sonaca, Safran Aero Boosters, and Sabca), UCL is developing an erosion test bench to test the resistance of materials to water droplet impacts on the wings leading edges during the flight. Composite materials continue to gain interest in aerospace applications because of their low weight and high strength. However, their use generates wear problems if they are not provided with a specific coating to protect the composite. The design of the bench consists of a sample installed on a double arm that rotates at high speed in an artificial rain. The objective of this master thesis is to model and understand the interaction between the drops and the non-realistic velocity field created by the experimental conditions (containment, cyclic wake, etc.) in order to better characterize their impact during the measurements that will be made.