Evaporation of Gravity- and Gas Flow-Driven Thin Liquid Films in Micro- and Minigrooves

Using microstructured wall surfaces may improve the heat transfer performance of falling film or shear-driven film cooling devices enormously. The advantages of the structured surface include the prevention of the formation of dry patches on hot surfaces, the promotion of ultra-thin film evaporation, and a wavy motion of the film that enhances mixing of the liquid. We develop a model describing the hydrodynamics and heat transfer by evaporation of gravity- and gas flow-driven liquid films on grooved surfaces. For low Reynolds numbers or low liquid mass fluxes the heat transfer is governed by the evaporation of the ultra-thin film at a micro region, in the vicinity of the three-phase contact line. We investigate the hydrodynamic stability of the film flow using the long-wave theory. In addition to the films completely covering the wall structure, we study the stability characteristics of a thin liquid film partly covering the grooved wall, so that the flow region is bounded by contact lines. Two cases are analyzed: fully wetting liquids and liquids which form a small but finite contact angle with the wall material.