Residual Liquid Film Research Articles

Capillary-driven migration of droplets on conical fibers

A droplet placed on a hydrophilic conical fiber tends to move toward the end of larger radii due to capillary action. Experimental investigations are performed to explore the dynamics of droplets with varying viscosities and volumes on different fibers at the microscale. Droplets are found to accelerate initially and subsequently decelerate during migration. A dynamic model is developed to capture the dynamics of droplet migration, addressing the limitations of previous equilibrium-based scaling laws. Both experimental results and theoretical predictions indicate that droplets on more divergent fibers experience a longer acceleration phase. Additionally, gravitational effects are pronounced on fibers with small cone angles, exerting a substantial influence on droplet migration even below the capillary scale. Moreover, droplets move more slowly on dry fibers compared to those prewetted with the same liquid, primarily attributed to increased friction. The experiments reveal the formation of a residual liquid film after droplet migration on dry fibers, leading to considerable volume loss in the droplets. To encompass the intricacies of migration on dry fibers, the model is refined to incorporate a higher friction coefficient and variable droplet volumes, providing a more comprehensive depiction of the underlying physics.

A novel method for evaluating solidification cracking susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel using trapezoidal hot cracking test during laser welding

A novel evaluation method was developed for evaluating solidification cracking susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel using trapezoidal hot cracking test laser welding. By changing different chemical compositions and welding speeds, the critical restraint width was named and regarded as a new index to evaluate cracking susceptibility. First of all, the average critical restraint width of SUS310S, 316 and 302 was measured as 22.97 mm, 18.17 mm and 17.38 mm during laser welding at a speed of 1.0 m/min, respectability. Single phase austenite under mode A appeared in 310S while the other could form austenite and a small amount of ferrite based on mode FA, therefore, the solidification cracking susceptibility was 310S > 316 > 302. Then, the critical restraint widths of SUS310S and 304 had a tendency of decrease with increasing welding speed from 0.5 m/min to 1.0 m/min during laser welding. The lower heat input could decrease primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings, causing a reduction in the segregation degree. In addition, the fine dendrite along grain boundary of weld center could contribute to form zigzag interface which would be beneficial to interrupt the continuous residual liquid film. Thus, the solidification cracking susceptibility tended to decrease with an increase in laser welding speed from 0.5 m/min to 1.0 m/min. Above all, the developed evaluation method could improve the applicability, feasibility and progressiveness of hot cracking test.

Heat treatment effects on the metastable microstructure, mechanical property and corrosion behavior of Al-added CoCrFeMnNi alloys fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

• Micro-cracks are along the GBs in PBF-LB Al-HEAs due to the residual liquid film therein with an increased solidification temperature range by Al addition. • Al/Ni/Mn decorated dislocation cells exist in the as-built Al-HEAs and massive BCC phases precipitate at the dislocation cell/grain boundaries upon heat treatment. • Al-HEA850 exhibits the highest strength and the lowest corrosion resistance due to the massive precipitates. With the development of aerospace and transportation, high-strength structural materials manufactured by additive manufacturing techniques get more attention, which allows the production of counterparts with complex structures. This work investigates Al-added CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys (Al-HEAs) prepared by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB), adding 4.4 wt.% Al reducing approximately 7% density. The contribution of post-heat-treatment to microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behaviors are explored. Hot cracking along with grain boundaries in the as-built PBF-LB Al-HEAs is determined, which comes from the residual liquid film as a larger solidification temperature range by adding Al. The PBF-LB Al-HEAs mainly consist of a face-centered cubic (FCC) matrix with Al/Ni/Mn decorated dislocation cells therein and a minor body-centered cubic (BCC) phase. Upon 850 °C annealing treatment, massive BCC phases (ordered NiAl and disordered Cr-rich precipitates) generate at the dislocation cell/grain boundaries and the dislocation cells are still retained. However, the volume fraction of BCC phases and the dislocation cells vanish after 1150 °C solution treatment. As a result, Al-HEA850 shows an over 1000 MPa yield strength with nearly no ductility (<3%); the Al-HEA1150 exhibits considerable strength-ductility properties. Meanwhile, the Al-HEA850 demonstrates the worst pitting corrosion resistance due to the preferential dissolution of the NiAl precipitates in chloride-containing solutions. After comparatively deliberating the evolution of strength-ductility and localized corrosion, we built a framework about the effects of the heat treatment on the mechanical property and degradation behavior in additively manufactured Al-added high-strength HEAs.

Liquid film and heat transfer characteristics during superheated wall cooling via pulsed injection of a liquid jet

Pulse firing is one of the major operation modes of bipropellant thrusters for the attitude control of small-scale spacecrafts. In the pulse-firing mode, the operational range of the thruster depends on the deterioration of liquid film cooling performance. Because cooling performance is determined by the balance of heat removed by the liquid film and transferred to the manifold, the behavior and heat transfer characteristics of liquid films under the intermittent injection of liquid jets must be understood to enable a wider range of operational patterns. We conducted cooling tests on a superheated metal plate via the pulsed injection of a liquid jet for better understanding of the pulsed cooling process. Different injection patterns, including continuous injection, with the same injection quantity were examined on two types of metal plates (aluminum alloy and copper), because the thermal properties of metal plates affect both the heat transfer characteristics of the liquid film and temperature rise of the plate during the inter-pulse duration. The cooling process was evaluated based on the evolution of the liquid film on the metal plate and rear-side temperature of the metal plate. The evolution and temperature were simultaneously visualized using a high-speed camera and infrared camera, respectively. To link the liquid film state to the heat transfer process, the temperature and heat flux on the cooled surface were estimated by solving the inverse problem of three-dimensional transient heat conduction. The results indicate that the wetting front position corresponds to the position of the maximum temperature gradient. Additionally, the residual liquid film is consumed through the evaporation and the droplet dispersion related to the nucleate boiling. The effects of thermal inertia and diffusivity of the metal plate highlight the differences in the amount of heat removed by the liquid film. The heat removed by the liquid film during pulsed cooling exhibited a peak and was higher than that removed by continuous injection on the aluminum alloy plate. Less heat was removed under low-duty-cycle conditions, and the amount of heat removed by the liquid film was lower than that removed by continuous injection on the copper plate.

Numerical analysis of two hollow drops simultaneously impacting a wet surface

The impingement behaviors of two hollow drops or two continuous dense drops simultaneously impacting a thin liquid film were analyzed numerically using a three-dimensional coupled level-set and volume-of-fraction method. The findings indicate the formation of a counter-jet during the simultaneous impact of two hollow drops, whereas a relatively stable residual film is formed during the impingement of two continuous dense drops. This counter-jet generates heat-transfer blind spots in the case of simultaneous impact by hollow drops, leading to the easy splitting of the residual liquid film. The heat around the blind spot region is difficult to release due to flow stagnation and the squeezing of the initial cold liquid film to the symmetric point. These findings indicate that more focus should be placed on the uniformity of heat transfer in realistic applications involving drop impingement. Finally, analyses of pressure gradient and flow separation revealed the formation process of the counter-jet and central liquid sheet. The findings are valuable for guiding industrial technical practice.

Characterization of hot cracking in multi-pass weld metal of high manganese austenitic steel

ABSTRACT In multi-pass welding of high manganese austenitic steel, weld metal is solidified in austenite single phase and hot cracking may occur depending on residual stress. In order to identify the cracking morphology, a fracture surface of the cracking of weld metal in multi-pass welding test was observed. The fracture surface indicated a dendritic morphology and a bunching pattern; therefore, it is considered that the crack in the multi-pass weld metal is caused by residual liquid film or remelting liquid film. Varestraint test was carried out in order to clarify the characterization of the crack, and then the fracture surface of cracks obtained by the test was observed. Transverse-type and longitudinal Varestraint test were used for getting typical fracture surfaces of solidification cracking in weld metal, and liquation cracking in reheat weld metal and heat affected zone of base metal, respectively. Comparing the fracture surfaces of cracks of Varestraint test and crack in practice, the fracture surface of the solidification cracking was most similar to the crack in multi-pass weld metal in this study. Thus, it is considered from comparing the fracture surfaces that solidification cracking might mainly occur in the multi-pass welding of the high manganese steel.

Evaporation of saline colloidal droplet and deposition pattern**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11472275 and U1738118), the Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Technology Talent Program, and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB22040301).

The dynamic process of the evaporation and the desiccation of sessile saline colloidal droplets, and their final deposition are investigated. During the evaporation, the movement of the colloidal particles shows a strong dependence on the salt concentration and the droplet shape. The final deposition pattern indicates a weakened coffee-ring effect in this mixed droplet system. The microscopic observation reveals that as evaporation proceeds, the particle motion trail is affected by the salt concentration of the droplet boundary. The Marangoni flow, which is induced by surface tension gradient originating from the local evaporative peripheral salt enrichment, suppresses the compensation flow towards the contact line of the droplet. The inhomogeneous density and concentration field induced by evaporation or crystallization can be the major reason for various micro-flows. At last stage, the distribution and crystallization of NaCl are affected by the colloidal particles during the drying of the residual liquid film.

Effect of thermocapillary instability on liquid film breakdown

The film of water flowing down along a vertical surface with a heater was studied experimentally at Re = 10–50. The initial temperature of the water film varied from 15 to 70 °C and heat fluxes on the heater varied from 0 to 6.5 W/cm2. Simultaneous measurements of the film thickness and surface temperature carried out. The effect of development of thermocapillary instability type A on wave amplitudes, deformation of the liquid film surface, and formation of the first stable dry spot on the heater was investigated. It is shown that when the longitudinal temperature gradients reach values larger then 7–10 K/mm formation of thermocapillary structures begins. At the leading edge of the heater, X/mm < 10–15, the thermocapillary structures in the form of a series of rivulets with a thin film between them are formed on the surface of residual liquid film after wave front propagation. The distance between the rivulets is λ/mm = 10. It is shown that the formation of the first stainable dry spots occurs in areas where deformation liquid film reaches its maximum value, and the value of the wave’s amplitudes decreases. The interaction of waves with thermocapillary structure type A leads to an increase in the critical heat flux corresponding to the liquid film breakdown on 75% in comparison with the data known in literature. A new mechanism of action on the film flow was first identified and studied in detail.

Film breakup of tilted impinging spray under various pressure conditions

Fuel film on engine walls caused by spray impingement would dramatically cause engine friction deterioration, incomplete combustion, and significant cycle-to-cycle variations. In a previous work, it has been demonstrated that fuel film would break up via wave entrainment induced by the high-speed coflow. Meanwhile, the film breakup dynamics depend on various boundary conditions, such as injection pressure, ambient pressure, and so on. However, such impact on the wall film formation was not investigated thoroughly in existing literature. This work aims to perform a parameter study to investigate possible means to enhance wave entrainment effect as to reduce the amount of impingement fuel mass. In this study, simultaneous measurements of macroscopic structure and its corresponding footprint of impinging spray are conducted using a single-hole, prototype injector in a constant volume chamber. The macroscopic spray structure was captured by high-speed backlit imaging, and the film was obtained using laser-induced fluorescence under different conditions. The laser-induced fluorescence signal is converted to film thickness following a calibration procedure where laser-induced fluorescence signals from a series of known-thickness film are captured. A mathematical processing method is used to analyze both the dynamic behavior of film thickness and amount of droplet detachment caused by high-speed coflow. It is found that at the leading edge of film waves, a remarkable amount of liquid droplets detaches from the liquid film and the quantity of film mass on the wall decreases during this process. Quantitative analysis is conducted and the mass ratio of detached droplets over residual liquid film is estimated. We hold that the film breakup percentage increases with both ambient and injection pressure due to the enhanced high-speed coflow. Then, variation laws for various boundary conditions are obtained based on the observations.

Spray impingement wall film breakup by wave entrainment

Fuel spray impingement on engine wall and piston in the spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) setting has been considered a major concern in the aspect of engine emission and combustion efficiency. Excess wall film will result in deterioration of engine friction, incomplete combustion, and substantial cycle-to-cycle variations. These effects are more pronounced during engine cold-start process. Therefore, the formation of wall film on engine wall/piston and the dynamic process of the wall film interacting with impinging spray and spray-induced gas flow are of great significance for reducing wall film mass. However, the dynamic process of wall film was not investigated thoroughly in existing literatures. This work will present a high-speed, simultaneous measurement of a single-hole spray structure, as well as wall film geometry and thickness, via Mie scattering and volumetric laser-induced fluorescence, respectively. Quantitative film thickness measurement was achieved via fluorescence intensity signal calibration with a known, wedge-shape liquid film apparatus. Remarkable wall film droplet entrainment at the leading edge of the liquid film waves was revealed in the measurement, which has not been adequately depicted or analyzed in existing spray impingement studies. A considerable amount of liquid droplets detaches from the liquid film via liquid film fingering, during which process the quantity of liquid mass on the wall is decreased. Quantitative analysis of such phenomenon is performed and we estimated that a liquid mass equivalent to 30–40% of the residual liquid film mass is detached from the liquid film via wave entrainment. Furthermore, through the comparative study of the side view of the spray and the liquid film caused by spray impingement, it is shown that non-uniform spray structure is likely the cause of liquid film wavy motions. These observations suggest that wave entrainment should be considered by numerical models and experimental designs to accurately predict spray impingement phenomenon.

Invasion of gas into mica nanopores: a molecular dynamics study

The invasion of gas into liquid-filled nanopores is encountered in many engineering problems but is not yet well understood. We report molecular dynamics simulations of the invasion of methane gas into water-filled mica pores with widths of 2–6 nm. Gas invades into a pore only when the pressure exceeds a breakthrough pressure and a thin residual water film is left on the mica wall as the gas phase moves deeper into the pore. The gas breakthrough pressure of pores as narrow as 2 nm can be modeled reasonably well by the capillary pressure if the finite thickness of residual liquid water film and the liquid–gas interface are taken into account. The movement of the front of the liquid meniscus during gas invasion can be quantitatively described using the classical hydrodynamics when the negative slip length on the strongly hydrophilic mica walls is taken into account. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the gas invasion in the system studied here will form the foundation for quantitative prediction of gas invasion in practical porous media.

Bubbly, Slug, and Annular Two-Phase Flow in Tight-Lattice Subchannels

Abstract An overview is given on the work of the Laboratory of Nuclear Energy Systems at ETH, Zurich (ETHZ) and of the Laboratory of Thermal Hydraulics at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland on tight-lattice bundles. Two-phase flow in subchannels of a tight triangular lattice was studied experimentally and by computational fluid dynamics simulations. Two adiabatic facilities were used: (1) a vertical channel modeling a pair of neighboring subchannels; and (2) an arrangement of four subchannels with one subchannel in the center. The first geometry was equipped with two electrical film sensors placed on opposing rod surfaces forming the subchannel gap. They recorded 2D liquid film thickness distributions on a domain of 16 × 64 measuring points each, with a time resolution of 10 kHz. In the bubbly and slug flow regime, information on the bubble size, shape, and velocity and the residual liquid film thickness underneath the bubbles were obtained. The second channel was investigated using cold neutron tomography, which allowed the measurement of average liquid film profiles showing the effect of spacer grids with vanes. The results were reproduced by large eddy simulation + volume of fluid. In the outlook, a novel nonadiabatic subchannel experiment is introduced that can be driven to steady-state dryout. A refrigerant is heated by a heavy water circuit, which allows the application of cold neutron tomography.

Clarification of the surface wettability effects on two-phase flow patterns in PEMFC gas channels

The motivation for the present work was to demonstrate clearly the effects of surface wettability on the two-phase flow in channels for PEMFC applications. Actually, these wettability effects are still controversial in the literature. The experimental investigation was conducted in isothermal conditions with ex situ dedicated experimental apparatus. Two channel materials with two different wettabilities were tested.In both hydrophobic and hydrophilic configurations, starting from a dry channel, the first emitted droplets left a residual liquid film in the channel corners and/or on the channel walls. These liquid films that spread all along the channel made the two-phase flow unstable. Finally, no distinction could be made between the two-phase flow regimes in hydrophilic and hydrophobic configurations. Our conclusions explain why the effects of surface wettability on fuel cells have been so unclear in the literature. For flow rates representative of a fuel cell application, it was impossible to draw flow pattern maps because of a lack of reproducibility. Based on the present results, the strict limit between slugs and droplets or droplets and film does not seem justified.

The influence of grain boundary angle on the hot cracking of single crystal superalloy DD6

Grain boundary is found to be the most vulnerable place to produce hot cracking during casting and welding processes. Understanding the underlying mechanism of it is helpful to prevent the crack for the repair of aerospace and automotive parts. By producing bi-crystal with pure tilt grain boundary, the effect of boundary misorientation on hot cracking susceptibility was studied for Ni-based superalloy DD6. It is found that the crack takes place when the grain boundary angle is larger than 16° under the present processing conditions. The experimental results are discussed by the theory of coalescence at the last stage of solidification. Furthermore, the calculated temperature interval corresponding to the vulnerable regime in the intradendritic region is much smaller than the coalescence undercooling for the residual liquid film at the boundary, indicating that if the grain boundary exists, the key factor to the hot cracking is the liquid film but not those in the intradendritic region.

The Rupture of Thin Liquid Films Placed on Solid and Liquid Substrates in Gravity Body Forces

AbstractThis paper presents a numerical and experimental study on hydrodynamic behavior of thin liquid films in rectangular domains. Three-dimensional computer simulations were performed using the lattice Boltzmann equation method (LBM). The liquid films laying on solid and liquid substrates are considered. The rupture of liquid films in computations is initiated via the thermocapillary (Marangoni) effect by applying an initial spatially localized temperature perturbation. The rupture scenario is found to depend on the shape of the temperature distribution and on the wettability of the solid substrate. For a wettable solid substrate, complete rupture does not occur: a residual thin liquid film remains at the substrate in the region of pseudo-rupture. For a non-wettable solid substrate, a sharp-peaked axisymmetric temperature distribution induces the rupture at the center of symmetry where the temperature is maximal. Axisymmetric temperature distribution with a flat-peaked temperature profile initiates rupture of the liquid film along a circle at some distance from the center of symmetry. The outer boundary of the rupture expands, while the inner liquid disk transforms into a toroidal figure and ultimately into an oscillating droplet.We also apply the LBM to simulations of an evolution of one or two holes in liquid films for two-layer systems of immiscible fluids in a rectangular cell. The computed patterns are successfully compared against the results of experimental visualizations. Both the experiments and the simulations demonstrate that the initially circular holes evolved in the rectangular cell undergoing drastic changes of their shape under the effects of the surface tension and gravity. In the case of two interacting holes, the disruption of the liquid bridge separating two holes is experimentally observed and numerically simulated.

Filling of High-Concentration Monoclonal Antibody Formulations into Pre-filled Syringes: Investigating Formulation-Nozzle Interactions To Minimize Nozzle Clogging.

Syringe filling of high-concentration/viscosity monoclonal antibody formulations is a complex process that is not fully understood. This study, which builds on a previous investigation that used a bench-top syringe filling unit to examine formulation drying at the filling nozzle tip and subsequent nozzle clogging, further explores the impact of formulation-nozzle material interactions on formulation drying and nozzle clogging. Syringe-filling nozzles made of glass, stainless steel, or plastic (polypropylene, silicone, and Teflon®), which represent a full range of materials with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties as quantified by contact angle measurements, were used to fill liquids of different viscosity, including a high-concentration monoclonal antibody formulation. Compared with hydrophilic nozzles, hydrophobic nozzles offered two unique features that discouraged formulation drying and nozzle clogging: (1) the liquid formulation is more likely to be withdrawn into the hydrophobic nozzle under the same suck-back conditions, and (2) the residual liquid film left on the nozzle wall when using high suck-back settings settles to form a liquid plug away from the hydrophobic nozzle tip. Making the tip of the nozzle hydrophobic (silicone-coating on glass and Teflon-coating stainless steel) could achieve the same suck-back performance as plastic nozzles. This study demonstrated that using hydrophobic nozzles are most effective in reducing the risk of nozzle clogging by drying of high-concentration monoclonal antibody formulation during extended nozzle idle time in a large-scale filling facility and environment. Syringe filling is a well-established manufacturing process and has been implemented by numerous contract manufacturing organizations and biopharmaceutical companies. However, its technical details and associated critical process parameters are rarely published. Information on high-concentration/viscosity formulation filling is particularly lacking. This study is the continuation of a previous investigation with a focus on understanding the impact of nozzle material on the suck-back function of liquid formulations. The findings identified the most critical parameter-nozzle material hydrophobicity-in alleviating formulation drying at the nozzle tip and eventually limiting the occurrence of nozzle clogging during the filling process. The outcomes of this study will benefit scientists and engineers who develop pre-filled syringe products by providing a better understanding of high-concentration formulation filling principles and challenges.

Light Path Model of Fiber Optic Liquid Level Sensor Considering Residual Liquid Film on the Wall

The working principle of the refractive-type fiber optic liquid level sensor is analyzed in detail based on the light refraction principle. The optic path models are developed in consideration of common simplification and the residual liquid film on the glass tube wall. The calculating formulae for the model are derived, constraint conditions are obtained, influencing factors are discussed, and the scopes and skills of application are analyzed through instance simulations. The research results are useful in directing the correct usage of the fiber optic liquid level sensor, especially in special cases, such as those involving viscous liquid in the glass tube monitoring.

Numerical simulation of solidification and liquation behavior during welding of low-expansion superalloys

Low-expansion superalloys are susceptible to weld solidification cracks and heat-affected zone (HAZ) microfissures. To predict solidification cracking, QBasic procedures were developed and solidification reaction sequence, type, and amount of eutectic product were calculated. As manifested, primary solidification is followed by L → (γ + NbC) and L → (γ + Laves) eutectic reaction sequentially for GH903 and GH907; hence, the terminal eutectic constituents are made up of γ/NbC and γ/Laves. While for GH909, only reaction L → (γ + Laves) occurs and more γ/Laves eutectic forms. Therefore, GH909 is more sensitive to solidification cracking. To predict HAZ liquation, cracking Visual FORTRAN procedures were developed, and constitutional liquation of NbC was simulated. As shown, solid dissolution of NbC prior to liquation decreases, and initial liquid film increases with the rate of thermal cycle. Higher rate of thermal cycle promotes the melting of the matrix adjacent to the liquid film and postpones the solidification of the liquid by the liquid-to-γ mode. Thus, more residual liquid film remains at the eutectic point, which will promote HAZ microfissuring. The increase in original grain size and peak temperature also promotes liquation. Finally, these conclusions were verified indirectly by hot ductility tests.

Dynamic Behavior of the Water Droplet Impact on a Textured Hydrophobic/Superhydrophobic Surface: The Effect of the Remaining Liquid Film Arising on the Pillars' Tops on the Contact Time

We have fabricated a series of textured silicon surfaces decorated by square arrays of pillars whose radius and pitch can be adjusted independently. These surfaces possessed a hydrophobic/superhydrophobic property after silanization. The dynamic behavior of water droplets impacting these structured surfaces was examined using a high-speed camera. Experimental results validated that the remaining liquid film on the pillars' tops gave rise to a wet surface instead of a dry surface as the water droplet began to recede away from the textured surfaces. Also, experimental results demonstrated that the difference in the contact time was subjected to the solid fraction referred to as the ratio of the actual area contacting with the liquid to its projected area on the textured surface. Because the mechanism by which the residual liquid film emerges on the pillars' tops can essentially be ascribed to the pinch-off of the liquid threads, we further addressed the changes in the contact time in terms of the characteristic time of pinch-off of an imaginary liquid cylinder whose radius is related to the solid fraction and the maximum contact area. The match of the theoretical analysis and the experimental results substantiates the assumption aforementioned.

水平流路内水中を進む気体の形状と液の流れ(流体工学,流体機械)

The present study is concerned with numerical simulation of the movement of gas progressing with the constant velocity in a horizontal channel filled up with water. The dependence of the gas-liquid interface shape and the liquid flow in the neighborhood of the gas phase tip on the channel height and the gravity force are analyzed by the numerical simulation program FIDAP. The three cases that the height of the channel is greater than, almost the same as and less than the bubble limiting thickness are studied. The relation between the residual liquid film thickness on the wall after passage of the gas phase tip and the tip velocity is also discussed.