Controlling the contact line behavior by introduction of artificial perturbations in a nonisothermal liquid film

Abstract

The effect of periodic artificial perturbations on a heated liquid film at small Reynolds numbers is studied experimentally using a high-speed infrared camera. It is shown that the development of thermocapillary perturbations leads to movement of rivulets and affects contact line that outlines dry spot in a vertically falling heated film. It has been established that at sufficiently intense heat fluxes the artificial perturbations exert a significant effect on the structure of the flow and on the repeated wetting of dry zones.