Energetics and dynamics of droplet evaporation in high temperature intermediate Reynolds number flows

Nusselt Numbers and drag coefficients of single-component liquid droplets and solid spheres in high temperature, intermediate Reynolds Number flows were investigated. The evaporation of suspended water, Methanol and n-Heptane droplets were followed in laminar air streams up to 1059 K in temperature using a steady-state measurement technique. It is found that the dynamic blowing effect of evaporation causes large reductions in heat transfer rates, and that the film conditions constitute an appropriate reference state for the evaluation of thermophysical properties. The numerical results indicate that the blowing effect of evaporation on momentum transfer is to reduce friction drag very significantly but at the same time increase pressure drag by almost an equal amount; the net effect on the total drag force being only a marginal reduction. In all cases, it is found that thermophysical property variations play a very dominant role in reducing the drag forces acting on cold particles. Results are analysed and a correlation for stagnation-point heat transfer is also presented.