Cooling effect of a single evaporating droplet on a hot semi-infinite metal body

Transient cooling of solid surfaces by water droplet evaporation was investigated through controlled experiments using a large heated aluminum cylinder. Quantitative prediction of droplet evaporation time and in-depth transient temperature distribution in the solid were made. All data, regardless of the droplet volume or of the initial body surface temperature, lie within a narrow band about a straight line. This finding is the first important step to obtain a simple model for spray cooling based on local accurate description of the droplet-solid interactions. Modeling of spray cooling phenomena is the foundation for the construction of a thermal model for solid fuel fire extinguishment.