The purpose of this investigation is to analyze the flow pattern of cooling fluids in the 3D "twister-effect" mixing chamber and to approximate the free surface behaviors exiting the 2D spray nozzle. The cone angle and free surface height located at the end of the free surface are two significant factors to determine the spraying area on a heated plane. This process is a reasonable representation of many industrial cooling application. The whole system consists of 4 inlet tubes connected to the top of the mixing chamber, and the spray nozzle is located under the chamber. Four different refrigerants, like FC-72, FC-77, FC-87 and methanol were used for the turbulent flow simulations. According to different fluid properties, the cone angle, free surface, pressure drop and Reynolds number can be investigated at different flow rates. First, at a certain volumetric flow rates, the velocities in x, y, z directions were found on the positive x-axis (0 degree), y-axis (90 degrees), negative x-axis (180 degrees) and y-axis (270 degrees) at 8.0 x 10-4m below the top of chamber. After the transformations, the interpolated and averaged radial, circumferential and axial velocities were used in the 2D nozzle simulations. Finally, the cone angle, the radial locations of the free surface and the pressure drop were obtained in each scenario. As the results, higher volumetric flow rate produced higher free surface height and cone angle. Also, FC-87 created the highest free surface height and cone angle among all four working fluids in both volumetric flow rates. It means that FC-87 can produce the largest spraying area on the heated surface. Fluctuation, spinning and eddy circulation can be found in the velocity plot because of the turbulent flow syndromes. When comparing two different nozzle designs, it was found that the nozzle without mixing chamber gave a larger cone angle and free surface height. Alternatively, the design in this investigation produced a relatively narrow jet concentrated to the stagnation zone.

A conical nozzle with two separate inlets within its top plate is analyzed. One of the inlets is in the center of the top plate, which is free to rotate, whereas the other inlet is positioned away from the center. The fluid entering through the outer inlet slot causes the top plate of the nozzle to spin. Several fluids including FC-77, FC-72, FC-87, and Methanol running at different flow rates were investigated to observe the effect that their particular properties have on the geometry of the fluid's free surface exiting the nozzle. Another variation performed was the geometry of the nozzle. The outer inlet slot was positioned at various radial distances along the top plate. For this nozzle, the top plate remained stationary and swirling was introduced to the fluid at the inlets. It was observed that the faster flow rates caused an increase in the free surface height and cone angle. For the various radial locations of the outer inlet slot, it was noted that a position at approximately 75% of the nozzle radius produced the largest free surface height. The largest cone angle was produced when the outer inlet slot was positioned at the edge of the nozzle top plate. Another factor that increased the radial height and cone angle of the free surface was the working fluid used in the study. A larger Reynolds number produced a larger cone angle and larger free surface height (while a smaller Reynolds number produced a less significant cone angle and free surface height).

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 230 pages. / Thesis (M.S.M.E.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: A conical nozzle with two separate inlets within its top plate is analyzed. One of the inlets is in the center of the top plate, which is free to rotate, whereas the other inlet is positioned away from the center. The fluid entering through the outer inlet slot causes the top plate of the nozzle to spin. Several fluids including FC-77, FC-72, FC-87, and Methanol running at different flow rates were investigated to observe the effect that their particular properties have on the geometry of the fluid's free surface exiting the nozzle. Another variation performed was the geometry of the nozzle. The outer inlet slot was positioned at various radial distances along the top plate. For this nozzle, the top plate remained stationary and swirling was introduced to the fluid at the inlets. It was observed that the faster flow rates caused an increase in the free surface height and cone angle. / ABSTRACT: For the various radial locations of the outer inlet slot, it was noted that a position at approximately 75% of the nozzle radius produced the largest free surface height. The largest cone angle was produced when the outer inlet slot was positioned at the edge of the nozzle top plate. Another factor that increased the radial height and cone angle of the free surface was the working fluid used in the study. A larger Reynolds number produced a larger cone angle and larger free surface height (while a smaller Reynolds number produced a less significant cone angle and free surface height). / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Omniphobic surfaces, which repel polar and non-polar liquids alike, have proven of value in a myriad of applications ranging from piping networks, textiles, food and electronics packaging, and underwater drag reduction. A limitation of currently employed omniphobic surfaces is their reliance on perfluorinated coatings/chemicals, increasing cost and environmental impact and preventing applications in harsh environments. Thus, there is a keen interest in rendering conventional materials, such as hydrocarbon-based plastics, omniphobic by micro/ nanotexturing rather than via chemical makeup, with notable success having been achieved for silica surfaces with doubly reentrant pillars (DRPs). We discovered a critical limitation of DRPs – they catastrophically lose superomniphobicity in the presence of localized physical damages/defects or on immersion in wetting liquids. In response, we pioneered bio-inspired gas-entrapping microtextured surfaces (GEMS) architecture composed of doubly reentrant cavities (DRCs). DRCs are capable of robustly entrapping air when brought into contact with liquid droplets or on immersion, which prevents catastrophic wetting transitions even in the presence of localized structural damage/defects. This dissertation presents our multifaceted research on DRCs via custom-built pressure cells, confocal laser scanning microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, contact angle goniometry, high-speed imaging, and upright optical microscopy. Specific accomplishments detailed in this thesis include: (i) the microfabrication protocols for silica GEMS developed at KAUST; (ii) the characterization of GEMS’ omniphobicity via apparent contact angles and immersion; (iii) the demonstration of ~ 1000,000,000% delays in wetting transitions in DRCs compared to those in simple cavities (SCs) under hexadecane; (iv) a proposal for immersion of surfaces as a criterion for assessing their omniphobicity in addition to apparent contact angles; (v) effects of surface chemistry, hydrostatic pressure, and cavity dimensions on Cassie-to-Wenzel transitions in DRCs and SCs; (vi) the demonstration of “breathing” (liquid-vapor) interfaces in GEMS under fluctuating hydrostatic pressures; and (vii) the demonstration of directional wetting transitions in DRCs (or cavities in general) arranged in one- and two-dimensional lattices. The last chapter in the thesis presents future research directions such as breathing surfaces capable of preempting vapor condensation and gas replenishment.

L’objectif est d’améliorer la connaissance des écoulements de films minces se développant au sein des colonnes servant à distiller les gaz de l’air sous conditions cryogéniques. Ce travail porte sur la caractérisation expérimentale de l’épaisseur du film liquide dans des conditions hydrodynamiques proches de celles rencontrées dans l’industrie. Tout d’abord, ce travail a permis de déterminer les conditions opératoires permettant la réalisation d’écoulement en similitude hydrodynamique avec les écoulements cryogéniques mais à température et pression proches de l’ambiant. Ensuite, un dispositif expérimental a ensuite été développé afin de permettre la réalisation d’écoulement de film liquide avec et sans contre-courant gaz sur plan incliné. Une métrologie optique utilisant un procédé de fluorescence a été développée et calibrée afin de mesurer des épaisseurs de films minces inférieures à 2 mm. Pour finir, l’étude expérimentale a permis de caractériser l’écoulement du film mince par l’étude statistique de son épaisseur, l’étude des régimes d’ondes de surface ainsi que son aire interfaciale. / The aim of this study is to get a better knowledge of thin film flow inside column used to distil the gases of air under cryogenic conditions. Experimental characterisation of the liquid film thickness submitted to hydrodynamic conditions similar to those found in real processes is investigated in this work. First, operating conditions were defined that allow thin film flow in hydrodynamic similitude with cryogenic flows but under conditions close to standard temperature and pression. Then, an experimental setup was designed in order to realize liquid film flows down an inclined plate with and without counter-current air flow. An optical technique using fluorescence was built and calibrated in order to measure the thickness of liquid film up to 2 mm. Finally, thin liquid film flow characteristics were experimentally studied with special attention given to the statistical variation of film thickness, interfacial wave patterns and interfacial area.