Sea-spray measurement tools and technique employed in marine icing field expeditions: A critical literature review and assessment using CFD simulations

Abstract

Sea-spray icing resulting from sea spray droplets accreting on exposed surfaces poses a significant safety concern for vessels and marine structures operating in cold climate regions. One of the key parameters determining the amount of ice accretion is the quantity of incoming sea spray, which eventually comes in contact with the structure in the presence of brine film freezing temperature. Hence, to develop marine icing estimation models, researchers have been inclined towards conducting field measurements to acquire data on sea spray and its key characteristics, such as liquid water content (LWC, mass of spray water per unit volume of air), spray frequency and duration, and droplet size distribution. This paper provides a critical review of various techniques used by researchers for sea spray field measurements. By employing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation, this paper also evaluates the performance of instruments for measuring sea-spray flux employed in such field campaigns. Design issues and potential areas for improvement are identified and discussed, based on which further recommendations for improvement of sea spray data collection are provided. The study provides valuable insights for researchers planning field measurement expeditions and exploring viable options to design an efficient system for collecting sea spray data.