Impact of Micro-Droplets on Superhydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

Ice accretion is a major threat to all exposed structures such as wind turbines, overhead power cables, offshore structures and aircrafts. Such deposition starts by an impact of water droplets of different sizes on the surface of the exposed structure. This work aims to shed more light on the difference in the dynamics occurring upon the impact of microdroplets on substrates with various wettabilities, hydrophilic (aluminum) and Superhydrophobic (Aluminum + WX2100) surfaces. Experiments are conducted on a wide range of diameters, between cloud sized droplets with diameters ranging down to 20μm, and 10 times larger droplets with a diameter of 250 μm. A comparison in the impact (through deformation) results is made all through the wide range and explained using the two extremes. This is done experimentally by analyzing the maximum spread diameter on the hydrophillic surface and superhydrophobic surface and maximum height as a function of time on the hydrophillic surface. Both parameters are visualized experimentally, simulated numerically for the same impact velocities and then results are compared for verification.