Exploring the Role of Initial Droplet Position in Coalescence-Induced Droplet Jumping: Lattice Boltzmann Simulations

Abstract

Coalescence-induced droplet jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces with different initial positions was numerically simulated using the 2D multi-relaxation-time (MRT) Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Simulation results show that for coalesced droplets with radii close to the structure length scale, the change of initial droplet positions leads to a significant deviation of jumping velocity and direction. By finely tuning the initial droplet positions on a flat-pillared surface, perpendicular jumping, oblique jumping, and non-jumping are successively observed on the same structured surface. Droplet morphologies and vector diagrams at different moments are considered. It is revealed that the asymmetric droplet detachment from the structured surface leads to the directional transport of liquid mass in the droplet and further results in the oblique jumping of the coalesced droplet. In order to eliminate the influence of initial droplet position on droplet jumping probability, a surface with pointed micropillars is designed. It is demonstrated that compared to flat-topped micropillars, a surface with pointed micropillars can suppress the initial droplet position effects and enhance droplet jumping probability. Furthermore, the effect of droplet/structure scale on droplet jumping is investigated. The influence of initial positions on coalescence-induced droplet jumping from the refined surface can be ignored when the droplet scale is larger than three times the structure scale. This study illustrates the role of initial droplet position in coalescence-induced droplet jumping and provides guidelines for the rational design of structured surfaces with enhanced droplet self-shedding for energy and heat transfer applications.

Particulate–Droplet Coalescence and Self-Transport on Superhydrophobic Surfaces

“…At a larger length scale, the upper bound of the jumping particle/droplet size is governed by inertia (capillary-inertia U in eq ) and gravity. Although demonstrated here to enable self-cleaning of both artificial and natural superhydrophobic surfaces, the role of surface adhesion , and surface structuring − need further quantification. Structuring the surface with rationally designed grooves can significantly enhance droplet jumping kinetics, , promising an alternate pathway for promoting particle–droplet coalescence-based self-cleaning.…”

Coalescence-Induced Droplet Jumping on Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Annular Wedge-Shaped Micropillar Arrays

“…Lu et al used the asymmetric V-groove to obtain jumping velocities of up to 0.61 v ic (the capillary-inertial velocity), and by adjusting the angle of the V-groove, they caused the jumping direction to deviate from the base surface by up to 60°. In addition to superhydrophobic surfaces with individual structures, experiments and numerical simulations have also been used to study the droplet motion on surfaces with micropillar arrays. − The four micropillar configurations investigated more are cylindrical, rectangular, conical, and wedge-shaped. Mulore et al conducted condensation experiments on the superhydrophobic surface with nanocylinders and discovered that nanopillar height, diameter, and spacing significantly impacted the critical jump diameter of droplets.…”