Three-dimensional simulation of rivulet and film flows over an inclined plate: Effects of solvent properties and contact angle

Abstract

We numerically investigated the film flow down an inclined plate using the volume of a fluid (VOF) method. The flow simulations have been systematically carried out for a wide range of parameters, such as inlet size, inclination angle, contact angle, flow rates and solvent properties (viscosity and surface tension). Based on the simulation results, scaling theory is being proposed for both interfacial area and for film thickness in terms of the Kapitza number (Ka).The Kapitza number is advantageous because it depends only on solvent properties. The Kapitza number decreases with increased solvent viscosity and is fixed for a given fluid. To investigate the effects of solvent properties on interfacial area a small inlet cross-section was used. The interfacial area decreases with increased value of Ka and scaling for interfacial area in terms of Ka is proposed. The time to reach pseudo-steady state of rivulet is also observed to increase with decreasing Ka. For a fixed flow rate, the inlet cross-section has marginal effect on the interfacial area; however, the developed width of the rivulet remains unchanged. In addition to inlet size, flow rate and solvent properties, the impact of contact angle on film thickness and interfacial area was also investigated. The contact angle has negligible effect for a fully wetted plate, but it significantly affects the interfacial area of the rivulet. A scaling theory for interfacial area in terms of the contact angle and Ka is presented.

Device‐scale CFD modeling of gas‐liquid multiphase flow and amine absorption for CO2capture

“…In that, the liquid holdup was computed on the corrugation surface by a gas‐liquid 2D model; the pressure drop was obtained at the element scale by a gas‐phase 3D model; and the gas‐liquid distributions were then studied at the column scale by a porous‐media device‐scale model. An alternative approach is currently being explored which employs VOF‐based CFD simulations at corrugation and element scales to develop the hydrodynamic and mass‐transfer closure models . These closure models can then be applied in the porous‐media device‐scale CFD model to predict drops in pressure, liquid holdup, and CO 2 absorption of the entire device.…”

“…An alternative approach is currently being explored which employs VOF-based CFD simulations at corrugation and element scales to develop the hydrodynamic and mass-transfer closure models. [56][57][58] These closure models can then be applied in the porous-media device-scale CFD model to predict drops in pressure, liquid holdup, and CO 2 absorption of the entire device.…”

A Potential Field Description for Gravity-Driven Film Flow over Piece-Wise Planar Topography

“…Few related numerical solutions, of a finite or boundary element type, have appeared focusing in particular on the behaviour of the accompanying 2D flow structure within the film [20] and in the case of 3D flow [21][22][23]; other, related investigations, have used a volume of fluid approach to explore pattern formation and mixing in film flow [24], surface wetting [25], together with the evolution of a single rivulet and its breakup [26,27].…”

Laminar Forced Convection Over An Inclined Flat Plate With Unheated Starting Length

“…Magnetohydrodynamic mixed convective flow and heat transfer over an inclined plate was investigated by Shanmugapriya [28]. Film flow over an inclined plate was numerically investigated by Singh et al [29] using volume of fluid method. Literature survey indicates that there is a lack of information about laminar forced convection heat transfer over an inclined flat plate with an unheated starting length.…”