Document Type
Article
Original Publication Date
2017
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Separation and Purification Technology
Volume
180
First Page
107
Last Page
113
DOI of Original Publication
10.1016/j.seppur.2017.02.049
Date of Submission
June 2017
Abstract
This paper reports on our investigation of the effects of surface roughness on the equilibrium shape and apparent contact angles of a droplet deposited on a fiber. In particular, the shape of a droplet on a roughened fiber is studied via the energy minimization method implemented in the surface evolver finite element code. Sinusoidal roughness varying in both the longitudinal and radial directions is considered in the simulations to study the effects of surface roughness on the most stable shape of a droplet on a fiber (corresponding a global minimum energy state). It is found that surface roughness delays droplet shape transition from a symmetric barrel to a clamshell or an asymmetric barrel profile. A phase diagram that includes the effects of fiber roughness on droplet configurations-symmetric barrel, clamshell, and asymmetric barrel-is presented for the first time. It is also found that droplet apparent contact angle tends to decrease on rough fibers. Likewise, roughness tends to increase the force required to detach a droplet from a fiber but the effect diminishes as droplet size increases relative to the size of surface roughness. The results presented in our study have been compared with experimental data or those from prior studies whenever possible, and good agreement has been observed.
Rights
(C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Is Part Of
VCU Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Publications
Comments
Originally published at http://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2017.02.049