Heat-Transfer Enhancement Incorporating Fin-Like Structures Inside Droplet on Hydrophobic Surface

Abstract

Enhancement of droplet heat transfer on a hydrophobic surface is examined via introducing the fin-like structures inside the droplet without altering the wetting state of the surface. A solution crystallization of polycarbonate surface is carried out and the functionalized silica particles are deposited onto the crystallized surface to create the hydrophobic surface characteristics. The ferrous particles (Fe2O3) are locally spread onto the hydrophobic surface and, later, manipulated by an external magneto-static force generating various configurations of fin-like structures inside the droplet. The droplet with fin-like structures is heated from the hydrophobic surface through introducing a constant temperature heat source. Flow and temperature fields inside the droplet are simulated in line with the experimental conditions. It is found that changing the configuration of the fin-like structures in the droplet modifies significantly the flow and temperature fields inside the droplet. The Bond number remains less than unity for all configurations of the fin-like structures while demonstrating the importance of the Marangoni current over the buoyancy current in the flow field. The presence of the fin-like structures lowers the difference between the fluid bulk and the minimum temperatures inside the droplet and improves considerably the heat transfer rates and the Nusselt number.