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Nengli Zhang, David F. Chao, W. J. Yang

Convective Instability in Transient Evaporating Thin Liquid Layers

Experimental results on the convective instability of a transient evaporating thin liquid layer are reported. Evaporation is identified as an agent causing Rayleigh-Bénard convection and/or Marangoni-Bénard convection. Convective flow occurs in the evaporating liquid layer as long as the evaporation is strong enough, regardless of whether the layer is heated or cooled from below. The wavelength of the cells maintains a preference value in steady evaporation. When an evaporating thin layer is strongly cooled from below, both the nonlinear temperature profile of the layer and the flow pattern change rapidly during the transient evaporation process. The wavelength of convection cells increases with time and tends towards the preference value with the approach of a steady evaporation stage. A modified Marangoni number and a modified Rayleigh number serve as the dimensionless control parameters for this system.

Journal of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics, Walter de Gruyter

Print ISSN: 0340-0204
Volume: 27, 05/2002
Pages: 71 - 89

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