Numerical study for the impact of liquid droplets on solid surfaces

Abstract

The impinging behaviour of liquid droplets on solid surfaces is studied using a computational approach. The analysis comprises the unsteady three-dimensional conservation equations of mass and momentum, with the surface tension effect treated by the continuous surface force model. Gas-liquid interfacial motions are simulated by the volume-of-fluid method in conjunction with the piecewise linear interface construction technique. In the computer code validation for a water droplet impacting on a polished stainless steel surface, computer-generated images of the time evolution of the droplet impingement dispersal shape are compared with magnified photographs by Pasandideh-Fard et al. The flow and transport phenomena in the impingement flowfield are further examined in detail. In order to respond to the need for its use in practical applications, the study is extended to explore the spreading progression to achieve a better understanding of the interaction of a 30 μm diameter polyethylenedioxy thiophene liquid droplet with a 50 × 50 μm indium tin oxide-coating square cavity at an impact velocity of 6 m/s.