A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow

Based on an approach used to model environmental flows such as rivers and estuaries, we develop a new multi-layered model for thin liquid film flow on a locally-heated inclined plane. The film is segmented into layers of equal thickness with the velocity and temperature of each governed by a momentu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kay, E.D., Hibberd, Stephen, Power, H.
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41093/
_version_ 1848796194399059968
author Kay, E.D.
Hibberd, Stephen
Power, H.
author_facet Kay, E.D.
Hibberd, Stephen
Power, H.
author_sort Kay, E.D.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Based on an approach used to model environmental flows such as rivers and estuaries, we develop a new multi-layered model for thin liquid film flow on a locally-heated inclined plane. The film is segmented into layers of equal thickness with the velocity and temperature of each governed by a momentum and energy equation integrated across each layer individually. Matching conditions applied between the layers ensure the continuity of down-plane velocity, temperature, stress and heat flux. Variation in surface tension of the liquid with temperature is considered so that local heating induces a surface shear stress which leads to variation in the film height profile (the Marangoni effect). Moderate inertia and heat convection effects are also included. In the absence of Marangoni effects, when the film height is uniform, we test the accuracy of the model by comparing it against a solution of the full heat equation using finite differences. The multi-layer model offers significant improvements over that of a single layer. Notably, with a sufficient number of layers, the solution does not exhibit local regions of negative temperature often predicted using a single-layer model. With Marangoni effects included the film height varies however we find heat convection can mitigate this variation by reducing the surface temperature gradient and hence the surface shear stress. Numerical results corresponding to the flow of water on a vertical plane show that very thin films are dominated by the Marangoni shear stress which can be sufficiently strong to overcome gravity leading to a recirculation in the velocity field. This effect reduces with increasing film thickness and the recirculation eventually disappears. In this case heating is confined entirely to the interior of the film leading to a uniform height profile.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T19:44:06Z
format Article
id nottingham-41093
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T19:44:06Z
publishDate 2017
publisher Elsevier
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-410932020-05-04T18:44:06Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41093/ A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow Kay, E.D. Hibberd, Stephen Power, H. Based on an approach used to model environmental flows such as rivers and estuaries, we develop a new multi-layered model for thin liquid film flow on a locally-heated inclined plane. The film is segmented into layers of equal thickness with the velocity and temperature of each governed by a momentum and energy equation integrated across each layer individually. Matching conditions applied between the layers ensure the continuity of down-plane velocity, temperature, stress and heat flux. Variation in surface tension of the liquid with temperature is considered so that local heating induces a surface shear stress which leads to variation in the film height profile (the Marangoni effect). Moderate inertia and heat convection effects are also included. In the absence of Marangoni effects, when the film height is uniform, we test the accuracy of the model by comparing it against a solution of the full heat equation using finite differences. The multi-layer model offers significant improvements over that of a single layer. Notably, with a sufficient number of layers, the solution does not exhibit local regions of negative temperature often predicted using a single-layer model. With Marangoni effects included the film height varies however we find heat convection can mitigate this variation by reducing the surface temperature gradient and hence the surface shear stress. Numerical results corresponding to the flow of water on a vertical plane show that very thin films are dominated by the Marangoni shear stress which can be sufficiently strong to overcome gravity leading to a recirculation in the velocity field. This effect reduces with increasing film thickness and the recirculation eventually disappears. In this case heating is confined entirely to the interior of the film leading to a uniform height profile. Elsevier 2017-05-01 Article PeerReviewed Kay, E.D., Hibberd, Stephen and Power, H. (2017) A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow. Journal of Computational Physics, 336 . pp. 51-68. ISSN 0021-9991 Thin film flow; Marangoni effect; Layered model; Integral model; Moderate Reynolds number https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2017.01.066 doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2017.01.066 doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2017.01.066
spellingShingle Thin film flow; Marangoni effect; Layered model; Integral model; Moderate Reynolds number
Kay, E.D.
Hibberd, Stephen
Power, H.
A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title_full A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title_fullStr A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title_full_unstemmed A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title_short A multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
title_sort multi-layer integral model for locally-heated thin film flow
topic Thin film flow; Marangoni effect; Layered model; Integral model; Moderate Reynolds number
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41093/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41093/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41093/