Evaporation Of Liquid Film Research Articles

A mesoscopic approach for nanoscale evaporation heat transfer characteristics

We propose a mesoscopic approach for investigating steady/transient nanoscale evaporation heat transfer characteristics, whose kinetic nature makes it an ideal tool to model the evaporation kinetics at the liquid-vapor interface and the microscopic wall-fluid interactions. Simulation of the evaporation of a flat nanoscale thin liquid film demonstrates its capability of resolving kinetically limited evaporation and liquid film adsorption. For the simulation of an evaporating meniscus in a nanochannel, our proposed mesoscopic approach considers the conservation of mass, momentum and energy of both liquid and vapor phases, thereby naturally incorporating both the multi-dimensional heat transfer effect and vapor transport resistance in nano-confined space. We demonstrate that solid-fluid interaction plays dominant roles on the interfacial transport during nanoscale evaporation, and vapor transport resistance has nonnegligible influences on the evaporation heat/mass transport in nano-confined spaces. By handling statistical behavior of molecule ensembles, this mesoscopic approach not only preserves microscopic physics but also has high computational efficiencies, enabling the simulation of space and time domains on the practical application level. This work paves the way for quantitative investigations of steady/transient nanoscale evaporation heat transfer characteristics using mesoscopic approach.

Modelling the evaporative cooling effect from methanol injection in the intake of internal combustion engines

Renewable methanol is one of the most promising alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. However, its much higher latent heat of vaporization compared to traditional fossil-based hydrocarbon fuels poses new challenges. On both spark-ignition (SI) engines and dual-fuel (DF) engines, methanol can be introduced through injectors installed in the intake path, with its evaporation then causing a cooling effect to the intake air flow. While this is beneficial in mitigating knock with both SI and DF operations, it could potentially lead to cold-starting issues in SI engines and incomplete combustion in DF engines. To properly model the in-cylinder behaviour, the mixture temperature after methanol injection needs to be accurately predicted. A simple yet effective methanol evaporation model based on the liquid droplet and film evaporation mechanisms is thus proposed here to quantify the evaporative cooling effect from methanol injection. The model first treats the methanol spray as a group of droplets with identical size, and after reaching the wall the model assumes that the remaining methanol forms a thin liquid film. The evaporation rates and the consequent temperature drops of these two modes are calculated separately. The calculation results indicate that only a negligible amount of methanol evaporates as droplets, with the predicted temperature drops agreeing well with the validation datasets when taking only the film evaporation into account. The key factor for this good agreement is that the balance between the heat and mass transfer needs to considered when evaluating the surface temperature of a liquid methanol film. The proposed model also suggests that the droplet evaporation can be greatly improved with an injection angle nearly parallel to the air flow, or a finer initial droplet size. Both measures are more effective than increasing the air temperature before injection.

The simulation of droplet impact on liquid film evaporation in horizontal falling film evaporator based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics

PurposeIn this paper, the complex flow evaporation process of droplet impact on the liquid film in a horizontal falling film evaporator is numerically studied based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The purpose of this paper is to present the mechanism of the water treatment problem of the falling film evaporation for the high salinity mine water in Xinjiang region of China.Design/methodology/approachTo effectively characterize the phase transition problem, the particle splitting and merging techniques are introduced. And the particle absorbing layer is proposed to improve the nonphysical aggregation phenomenon caused by the continuous splitting of gas phase particles. The multiresolution model and the artificial viscosity are adopted.FindingsThe SPH model is validated qualitatively with experiment results and then applied to the evaporation of the droplet impact on the liquid film. It is shown that the larger single droplet initial velocity and the smaller single droplet initial temperature difference between the droplet and liquid film improve the liquid film evaporation. The heat transfer effect of a single droplet is preferable to that of multiple droplets.Originality/valueA multiphase SPH model for evaporation after the droplet impact on the liquid film is developed and validated. The effects of different factors on liquid film evaporation, including single droplet initial velocity, single droplet initial temperature and multiple droplets are investigated.

Thermal behavior and dynamics of flow boiling in a pin-fin microchannel

As the need for effective heat dissipation in specialized systems intensifies, the study of flow boiling in microchannels has gained prominence due to its high efficiency and cost benefits. Utilizing a three-dimensional computational model incorporating the Volume of Fluid (VOF) and Saturated Interfacial Volume (SIV) methodologies, this research scrutinizes the behavior of saturated flow boiling in a microchannel featuring a centrally positioned, heated square cylinder. The analysis focuses on variations in bubble morphology, fluidic behavior, and thermal profiles, revealing that the evaporation of a thin liquid film contributes significantly to heat transfer efficacy. A systematic assessment of temperature gradients, heat transfer coefficients, and liquid film metrics uncovers the critical drivers behind effective heat transfer across different surfaces. Additionally, the study elucidates the role of Reynolds number and initial bubble size, indicating that higher Reynolds numbers thicken the liquid film, reducing heat transfer efficiency, while larger initial bubble diameters thin the liquid film, thereby boosting efficiency. Factors such as thermal boundary layer disruption and superheated fluid absorption further contribute to heat transfer optimization. This investigation enriches the current understanding of phase-change heat transfer dynamics and bubble interactions in microchannel environments equipped with a heated square cylinder.

Numerical investigation of bubble dynamics and flow boiling heat transfer in cylindrical micro-pin-fin heat exchangers

Micro-pin-fin evaporators are a promising alternative to multi-microchannel heat sinks for two-phase cooling of high power-density devices. Within pin-fin evaporators, the refrigerant flows through arrays of obstacles in cross-flow and is not restricted by the walls of a channel. The dynamics of bubbles generated upon flow boiling and the associated heat transfer mechanisms are expected to be substantially different from those pertinent to microchannels; however, the fundamental aspects of two-phase flows evolving through micro-pin-fin arrays are still little understood. This article presents a systematic analysis of flow boiling within a micro-pin-fin evaporator, encompassing bubble, thin-film dynamics and heat transfer. The flow is studied by means of numerical simulations, performed using a customised boiling solver in OpenFOAM v2106, which adopts the built-in geometric Volume of Fluid method to capture the liquid–vapour interface dynamics. The numerical model of the evaporator includes in-line arrays of pin-fins of diameter of 50μm and height of 100μm, streamwise pitch of 91.7μm and cross-stream pitch of 150μm. The fluid utilised is refrigerant R236fa at a saturation temperature of 30 °C. The range of operating conditions simulated includes values of mass flux G=500–2000kg/(m2s), heat flux q=200kW/m2, and inlet subcooling ΔTsub=0–5K. This study shows that bubbles nucleated in a pin-fin evaporator tend to travel along the channels formed in between the pin-fin lines. Bubbles grow due to liquid evaporation and elongate in the direction of the flow, leaving thin liquid films that partially cover the pin-fins surface. The main contributions to heat transfer arise from the evaporation of this thin liquid film and from a cross-stream convective motion induced by the bubbles in the gap between the cylinders, which displace the hot fluid otherwise stagnant in the cylinders wakes. When the mass flow rate is increased, bubbles depart earlier from the nucleation sites and grow more slowly, which results in a reduction of the two-phase heat transfer. Higher inlet subcooling yields lower two-phase heat transfer coefficients because condensation becomes important when bubbles depart from the hot pin-fin surfaces and reach highly subcooled regions, thus reducing the two-phase heat transfer.

Optical methods for measuring the thickness of thin evaporating liquid films

Optical methods for measuring the thickness of thin evaporating liquid films

Operating mechanism of pulsating heat pipe with different wettability from the perspective of thermo-hydrodynamic characteristics of vapor–liquid interface region

Pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is considered to be one of the most promising efficient heat sinks in electronic thermal management for good cooling capacity and compact structure. Understanding the complex operating mechanism of PHP from various angles is crucial for advancing its large-scale application. Among various factors, the thermo-hydrodynamic characteristics of the vapor–liquid interface region have a critical impact on the operation of PHP. Based on this, the transient numerical simulations were conducted in this work on PHPs with 20° and 150° contact angles (hydrophilic and hydrophobic, respectively), and the influence of different thermo-hydrodynamic characteristics of the vapor–liquid interface region on the operating mechanism of PHPs was analyzed. The results found that the presence of a widely spreading liquid film at the interface of hydrophilic PHP significantly changed its thermo-hydrodynamic characteristics compared to hydrophobic PHP. As a consequence, the hydrophilic PHP and hydrophobic PHP presented better heat transfer performance in the evaporation section and condensation section, respectively. Under low heat inputs, with regular vapor–liquid distribution in the interface region, the hydrophobic PHP presented better startup and heat transfer performance due to better hydrodynamic behavior caused by more easily formed pressure gradients. Under high heat inputs, the hydrophilic PHP showed significantly better heat transfer performance due to the intense evaporation and continuous spreading of new liquid film in the interface region, which also played a key role in stronger anti-dry-out performance.

Thermal performance of a stack cooling radiator coupled with spray cooling for the future fuel cell electric vehicles

Proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell electric vehicles require an appropriate stack cooling radiator (SCR) system to achieve optimal performance and safe operation. However, SCR cannot achieve high heat rejection under high power demands and hot ambient conditions. Hence, either the SCR needs to be enlarged to manage heat rejection or its ability to reject heat should be enhanced. In this study, a novel low pressure drizzling-aided spray cooling system (SCR-DS) is proposed for the first time. The thermal performance results were compared with those of a high-pressure nozzle-aided spray system (SCR-NS) and a conventional SCR system (SCR-CS). Based on the results, the coolant entry temperature to the stack reduced by up to 1.78 °C, and 2.75 °C when SCR-NS and SCR-DS configurations were active, respectively. Among the various operating factors, the spray cooling performance was significantly influenced by air velocity, spray temperature, and spray flow rate. Furthermore, the experienced mean increments in the heat rejection rate were up to 71.7 % and 123.5 % for the SCD-NS and SCR-DS, respectively, compared to SCR-CS. More importantly, these configurations aid in reducing the size of the SCR by 36.2 % and 45.9 %, respectively, under the same overall heat transfer coefficient conditions. Overall, the SCR-DS configuration was more beneficial than the SCR-NS configuration in terms of thermal performance owing to the slow and steady spray on the SCR surface along with more spray coverage, which aided in better liquid convection and film evaporation.

Flow structure near three phase contact line of low-contact-angle evaporating droplets

Flow structure near three phase contact line (TPCL) of evaporating liquids plays a significant role in liquid wetting and dewetting, liquid film evaporation, and boiling. Despite the wide focus it receives, the interacting mechanisms therein remain elusive and in specific cases, controversial. Here, we reveal the profile of internal flow and elucidate the dominating mechanisms near TPCL of evaporating droplets, using mathematical modeling, trajectory analysis, and infrared thermography. We indicate that for less volatile liquids such as butanol, the flow pattern is dominated by capillary flow. With increasing liquid volatility, e.g., alcohol, the effect of evaporation cooling, under conditions, induces interfacial temperature gradient with cold droplet apex and warm edge. The temperature gradient leads to Marangoni flow that competes with outwarding capillary flow, resulting in the reversal of interfacial flow and the formation of a stagnation point near TPCL. The spatiotemporal variations of capillary velocity and Marangoni velocity are further quantified by mathematically decomposing the tangential velocity of interfacial flow. The conclusions can serve as a theoretical base for explaining deposition patterns from colloidal suspensions and can be utilized as a benchmark in analyzing more complex liquid systems.

Bubby behavior and heat transfer characteristics of bionic microchannels in the subcooled flow boiling process

Microstructures on the sidewall or bottom wall, have shown excellent heat transfer performance in the single-phase convective heat transfer of microchannel heat sinks. For increasing the heat flux, phase-change heat transfer was highlighted as an effective approach. However, more complicated mechanisms of boiling heat transfer make less study focused on the microchannel with microstructure. In this work, a bionic microchannel with concave cavities and bionic ribs was proposed to enhance the boiling heat transfer. Numerical simulations, along with the volume of fluid (VOF) analysis combined with a phase-change model, were used to investigate the effect of the microstructure on the behavior of bubbles in the subcooled flow boiling. The results showed that the microstructure promotes bubble nucleation and the occurrence of more small bubbles around big bubbles. Thus, it enhances boiling heat transfer. Meanwhile, the microstructure was found to be beneficial in maintaining a stable liquid film evaporation under annular flow and suppressing boiling instability. Ultimately, compared with rectangular microchannels, the reported wall temperature and inlet pressure are more stable in the proposed bionic microchannel, the heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux of the bionic microchannel were found to be 1.45 times higher, with mass flux G of 498 kg/(m2·s) and heat flux q w of 600 kW/m2.

Flow pattern-based heat transfer analysis of microchannel flow boiling: An experimental investigation

The present study investigates the flow boiling heat transfer and flow pattern of R245fa in a smooth, horizontal microchannel with an inner diameter of 1 mm. The experiments cover a range of mass flux from 300 to 700 kg/m2s and heat fluxes varying between 10 and 94 kW/m2, with corresponding saturation temperature of 23–54 °C. Heat transfer experiment results indicate that the local heat transfer coefficient (HTC) presents two distinct variation trends under different heat and mass flux conditions. In addition, the heat flux is positively correlated with the local HTC at each measure point. Visualization experiment results show that annular flow forms at low vapor quality and significantly influences heat transfer as the primary flow pattern. The flow boiling heat transfer of R245fa in the 1 mm microchannel can be characterized by three regimes: bubble/slug regime, liquid film evaporation regime, and intermittent dryout regime. Thin liquid film evaporation and intermittent dryout during annular flow predominately contribute to heat transfer. Finally, the experimental HTC is compared with five different predictive methods, revealing that the three-zone model proposed by Thome et al. [46] holds immense potential for estimating the local HTC in the microchannel.

NANOFLUID FILM FALLING ON A NON-DARCY POROUS VERTICAL PLATE EVAPORATOR

A numerical analysis of the falling nanofilm evaporation on a vertical porous wetted wall by mixed convection was performed. The right-wall was dry and isothermal, while the left wall was embedded in a non-Darcy porous medium filled with nanofilm (water + low fraction volume of copper nanoparticles) and exposed to a uniform heat flux from the outside. The nanofluid film made up the liquid, while dry air and water vapor comprised the gas mixture. The results obtained from this study pertain to the impact of porosity, thickness of the porous layer, concentration of nanoparticles on heat and mass exchange, and liquid film evaporation. The results indicate that mass and heat exchange, as well as liquid film evaporation, are improved in the case of nanofilm by introducing a liquid-saturated porous medium. It is shown that in the case of a porous layer, the dispersion of the nanoparticles into water film ameliorates the liquid film evaporation of the plate evaporator and weakly improves the mass and heat exchange.

Effect of a static magnetic field on the falling-film evaporation on a vertical plate evaporator by mixed convection

The application of a magnetic field to a falling-film evaporation system can have several effects. The magnetic field can alter the liquid film's flow behavior and modify the system's heat transfer characteristics. The numerical study of falling film evaporation by mixed convection on a vertical channel under a static magnetic field has been investigated. The vertical channel is composed of two parallel plates. The right plate is dry and isothermal, while the left plate is wetted by a falling liquid film and exposed to a static, uniform heat flux from the outside. Water film makes up the liquid, while dry air and water vapor make up the gas mixture. The results relate to the effects of the magnetic field on heat and mass transfer and on liquid film evaporation. The results demonstrate that the static magnetic field has a weak effect on heat and mass transfer and water film evaporation. In fact, it is shown that an increase in the static magnetic field weakly enhances heat and mass transfer as well as liquid film evaporation.

Subcooled flow boiling in ultrahigh-aspect-ratio microchannels for high heat flux cooling

In present work, the numerical simulation and experimental investigations were performed on the subcooled flow boiling behavior in ultrahigh-aspect-ratio microchannel heat sink (AR = 25). As the heat flux is low, the unique discotic bubble expands the condensation area while ensuring an adequate evaporation area in the channel. When the heat flux increases, the violently fluctuating liquid-vapor interface forms a throat shape that effectively reduces the cross-section of vapor flow. Furthermore, the flow pattern of annular flow at the channel bottom and nucleate bubble at the channel top realizes a combined heat transfer mechanism (nucleate boiling and liquid film evaporation occurs simultaneously). Moreover, the phenomenon of “droplet inside the bubble” caused by bubble coalescence also significantly enhances the thermal process. The fluctuation of local pressure drop in UARM acts gently, which effectively inhibits the boiling instability, and its average value can be reduced by 68.9%. The maximum CHF reaches 1258.1 W/cm2 under a mass flux of 410.2 kg/(m2·s) based on the experimental data, indicating a tremendous potential for the efficient heat dissipation.

Electric field-modulated evaporative thin film deposition of bio-particles for piezoelectric applications.

Bio-based functional materials can be used to replace or limit the use of synthetic materials sourced from unsustainable sources. However, the potential of such materials remains largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate the use of weak AC electric fields to deposit ultra-thin piezoelectric films from cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). This is the first time electric fields are used to realize <50 nm thick uniform bio-based piezoelectric films wherein the bioparticles exhibit unidirectional arrangement. Interestingly, we found that the use of weak AC electric fields of suitable frequencies completely mitigates the coffee ring effect (CRE), which results in defect-free uniform ultra-thin films. Additionally, the electric fields appear to help in realizing unidirectional alignment of particles in the films, which enhances their piezoelectric properties. The method was also tested for chitin nanocrystals (ChNC), which have a similar aspect ratio but bear opposite polarity surface charges, and the influence of the field on coffee ring formation and particle orientation in CNC thin film deposition was validated. The phenomena can be attributed to the constant spatio-temporal curvature of the evaporating liquid film, the transient state between the three-phase contact (TPC) line, the electric field-dependent contact angle, and the permanent and field-induced dipole moments. These factors lead to particle polarization and alignment. The films have an optimum electrical frequency of deposition at which they are continuous and uniformly thin, have unidirectional alignment of particles, and function as a single dipole.

Effects of cover plate wettability on pool boiling heat transfer in a narrow gap

An experimental study is conducted to evaluate the effects of cover plate wettability (hydrophobic to hydrophilic) on boiling heat transfer in a narrow horizontal gap (0.64mm to 5mm thick). When the gap thickness is greater than 1mm, the cover plate wettability plays a significant role. A hydrophobic cover plate causes vapor bubbles to move from the heating surface and get attached to the cover plate, maintaining liquid water on the heating surface. When the vapor layer does not reach the heating surface, the nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficient is hardly affected by the gap. However, the critical heat flux (CHF) is reduced relative to the unconfined case as vapor fills the narrow gap. Contrarily, when a hydrophilic cover plate is used with a gap thickness greater than 1mm, a vapor slug forms and hovers over the heating surface with transient lateral movement. Thin liquid film evaporation occurs under the slug, causing an enhanced heat transfer coefficient at low heat flux (q'' < 250kW/m2). As the heat flux increases, the vapor slug movement causes fluctuations in the heater temperature due to partial dryout at the heating surface. Consequently, a rapid decrease in the heat transfer and a reduced CHF are observed relative to the unconfined case. When the gap thickness is reduced to below 1mm, a film boiling-like behavior is observed regardless of the cover plate wettability. However, there is an increase in the heat transfer coefficient at low heat flux (q'' < 250kW/m2).

Performance investigation and mass transfer enhancement of a novel cone-type solar seawater still

There are some disadvantages in the operating process of the basin solar seawater still (BSSS), such as long mass transfer distance, large heat indolence, huge floor space, and poor bearing pressure ability. A novel cone-type solar seawater still (CTSSS) is presented to overcome the weaknesses of the BSSS in this study. The CTSSS has the characteristics of seawater liquid film evaporation, short mass transfer distance, the condensation sleeve is parallel to and above the evaporation sleeve, and the condensation area is larger than the evaporation area. In order to clarify the performance of the CTSSS, the influence mechanism of feed seawater mass flow rate, heating power and heating temperature on the fresh water yield of the CTSSS was analyzed, the method of enhancing the mass transfer of the binary mixed gas in the CTSSS was explored, and the law of heat and mass transfer of the binary mixed gas in the annular enclosed small space was investigated. The results indicated that the maximum fresh water yield of the CTSSS is 62.7 g/20 min at the feed seawater mass flow rate of 400 g/h when the input power is 200 W, which is 4.5% higher than that when the feed seawater mass flow rate is 300 g/h. The performance ratio (PR) of the CTSSS is increased as the heating power, the PR of the CTSSS is 0.65 when 180 W heating power is employed. The steady state fresh water yield of the CTSSS with mirror condensation sleeve at 85°C is 84.6 g/20 min, which is 12.1% higher than that with non-mirror condensation sleeve Compared with the CTSSS with non-mirror condensation sleeve, the value of proportions of radiative heat transfer in the total heat transfer of the CTSSS with mirror condensation sleeve decreased by 6.6%, and the value of proportions of evaporative heat transfer increased by 6.4%. This study would provide a reference for small-scale decentralized application of solar desalination in remote areas.

Enhanced heat transfer of liquid film evaporation via subdividable patterned surfaces

Surface wettability is significant in evaporation. The wettability pattern combinations on evaporation heat transfer under a fixed proportion of wettability is explored by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The microscopic mechanisms affecting evaporation heat transfer are elucidated by analyzing the liquid–vapor and solid–liquid interfaces. Interfacial heat transfer between solid and liquid is examined in terms of interfacial thermal resistance, potential energy distribution, and interaction energy. Simulation results demonstrate that heat transfer is significantly affected by the solid–liquid interface. Then, the liquid–vapor interfacial potential energy and areas are nearly identical. This means patterned combinations have no effect on heat transfer across liquid–vapor interface. What’s more, the heat transfer rate is positively related to the total length of the contact boundary line between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts. Therefore, a mathematical relationship can be established to optimize the surface construction with better heat transfer performance by solving the extending length of the contact boundary line. By MD simulation verification, the case with a longer contact boundary line performs better heat transfer characteristics.

Calcium carbonate particle synthesis in a confined and dynamically thinning layer on a spin-coater – In situ deposition for cell adhesion

We have designed a new method for the in situ synthesis of CaCO3 particles via spin-coating while simultaneously controlling their distribution on the surface. CaCO3 is synthesized by simultaneously adding CaCl2 and Na2CO3 solutions to a rotating surface on a spin-coater. During the transient liquid film evaporation on the spin-coater, as the film layer progressively thins, the CaCO3 particles nucleate and grow while confined within that thinning layer on the spin-coater. The evaporation of the volatile component increases the global concentration of solids, resulting in the deposition of precipitates (CaCO3 particles). The growth rate, particle size, and coverage were theoretically and experimentally analyzed by adjusting the process parameters, initial salt concentrations, rotational speed, and post-deposition treatment. Experimental findings indicated that increasing the rotational speed resulted in formation of smaller particle sizes, while the concentration of the precursors directly influenced the average diameter of the particles. Raman spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that vaterite particles synthesized from lower salt concentrations exhibited a more intense signal than those synthesized from higher salt concentrations. Furthermore, higher salt concentrations led to increased particle coverage, while higher rotational speeds resulted in decreased particle coverage on the substrate. We explored the potential of such coatings in biomedicine and tissue engineering by seeding MC3T3-E1 cells on the CaCO3 particle-coated glass substrates. Surfaces functionalized with CaCO3 particles exhibited enhanced cell proliferation and adhesion.

Analysis of Liquid Film Evaporation in Porous Particles: Toward Optimal Wick Parameters for Heat Transfer in Heat Pipes

Abstract Evaporation of working fluids inside capillary wicks determines the heat transfer capability of heat pipes. However, the relationship between wick parameters and evaporative heat transfer remains unclear. To establish a correlation between wick parameters of sintered porous particles and evaporation characteristics, a boundary condition model was developed, incorporating wick parameters such as particle radius (R), particle distance (d), apparent contact angle (θa), and initial liquid height (H). In the absence of a significant size effect, the profile of the liquid–vapor interface was determined using the boundary model by numerically solving the augmented Young–Laplace equation. Ammonia was used as an example to investigate evaporation characteristics. The curvature radius of the intrinsic meniscus (Re) was found to serve as a bridging factor between these wick parameters and evaporation characteristics. When Re exceeded 40.3 μm, a limitation in evaporative heat transfer within the thin film region was observed. The relationship between R, d, θa, and H was quantitatively described based on this evaporative heat transfer limit. Furthermore, a nondimensional analysis of the governing equation for the evaporating liquid film profile was conducted, yielding an influencing factor (λ) that governed the thin film profile. The proposed model and its outcomes could offer valuable theoretical insights for the structural design of sintered porous particles, the optimization of surface modification levels, and the determination of the appropriate working fluid charging ratio during the manufacturing process of heat pipes.