"Michael" wrote in message
om...
Roy Smith wrote
Is there an explanation for why small radii objects collect ice
faster? The NASA icing video simply states this fact without giving an
explanation. I have found the same with most other sources as well.

Here's a somewhat fuzzy/unscientific answer which may help at an
intuitive level...

A larger radius object disturbs the air a further distance out in front
of it than a smaller object does. So, if a water droplet is sitting
there suspended in the air, with the smaller object, it has less of a
chance to get deflected up or down before the object slams into it.

I don't know if that explanation will stand up to critical examination
by somebody who really understands the subtleties of aerodynamics, but
that's the way I've always understood it.

Actually, it's not unscientific at all, and no fuzzier than any other
'explanation' of fluid mechanics that leaves the math out. Having
suffered through many semesters of fluid mechanics I can't do any
better without math either.

What you're basically describing is the reason it's much easier to
catch a fish with a net than with a bucket.

We can throw out all of the wind tunnel testing, based solely on the fact
that it is not representative of nature. NASA does well to demonstrate wind
tunnel icing without comment.