Dynamics of Liquid Droplet on Flat Plate under Shear Flow with Adiabatic Condition

Abstract

In the present work, an investigation has been made about the shape change and movement phenomena of liquid droplet over a horizontal solid surface under shear flow with adiabatic boundary condition. Finite Volume Method (FVM) with 3D Volume of Fluid (VOF) model has been used to formulate/simulate the complex interface in multiphase flow. The effect of important factors which govern the drop dynamics on a solid surface (like fluid properties: density, surface tension, viscosity and the surface characteristics: surface material, contact angle, roughness) have been studied extensively. Effects of shear strength in terms of air inlet velocity and drop size have also been studied by varying the Reynolds number of inlet air flow and drop volume respectively. Phase contours at different time instant have been produced for each of the case study. Again, the velocity contours and velocity vectors have also been generated for better understanding of the present phenomena. The acquired velocity by the droplet at different time instants has been calculated and the variation of the acquired velocity with time instants is plotted. Again it has been observed that depending upon various boundary conditions and external effects, it may possible to move the drop in any desired direction as per the requirement in various engineering applications like micro pumps, printers, coating devices etc.