Removal of a Thin Liquid Film From a Flat Surface Using an Axisymmetric Impinging Jet

A simple theory is presented which allows prediction of the rate of thinning of a viscous liquid film, initially coated upon a rigid plane surface, subjected to the action of an impinging jet. A set of experimental data provides confirmation of the theory. The removal of a thin film of liquid contaminant from a flat surface is often accomplished by flushing the surface with a jet of a second fluid. The rate of removal of the liquid contaminant is expected to be a function of the physical properties of the two fluids involved, the dynamic and geometric parameters that describe the impinging jet, and the topography of the surface itself. Although the impingement of a jet on clean, smooth, rigid surfaces has been well studied, (Giralt, et al. (1977), Scholtz and Trass (1970)) there has been almost no work done on the relatively more complex problem of jet impingement onto thin deformable surfaces. The present study focusses on the removal of a liquid spill (which is a deformable surface) from under an impinging air jet.