Theodorou, N.T.; Sourais, A.G.; Papathanasiou, A.G. Simulation of Electrowetting-Induced Droplet Detachment: A Study of Droplet Oscillations on Solid Surfaces. Materials2023, 16, 7284.
Theodorou, N.T.; Sourais, A.G.; Papathanasiou, A.G. Simulation of Electrowetting-Induced Droplet Detachment: A Study of Droplet Oscillations on Solid Surfaces. Materials 2023, 16, 7284.
Theodorou, N.T.; Sourais, A.G.; Papathanasiou, A.G. Simulation of Electrowetting-Induced Droplet Detachment: A Study of Droplet Oscillations on Solid Surfaces. Materials2023, 16, 7284.
Theodorou, N.T.; Sourais, A.G.; Papathanasiou, A.G. Simulation of Electrowetting-Induced Droplet Detachment: A Study of Droplet Oscillations on Solid Surfaces. Materials 2023, 16, 7284.
Abstract
Electrowetting – induced detachment of droplets from solid surfaces is important for numerous applications in the fields of heat transfer and fluid mechanics. The forced oscillations of droplets on solid surfaces and their ability to detach are studied. In this study the process is efficiently simulated by implementing a powerful methodology developed by our team. Our results agree with experiments, showing that optimal detachment, in terms of actuation energy, is achieved when the application of voltage is synchronized with the spreading time of the droplet. Under these conditions, the droplet oscillates with a period close to that of a mirrored Rayleigh droplet. The relation between the droplet’s oscillation period and its physical properties is examined. During voltage-droplet synchronization, the droplet’s ability to detach depends mostly on its contact angle, its viscosity, and the applied voltage. An energy analysis is also conducted, revealing how energy is supplied to the droplet by electrowetting-induced detachment.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
