The evaporation and combustion of levitated arrays of two, three and five droplets at a hot surface

Abstract

The interactions between droplets in several geometrical arrays in Leidenfrost evaporation and combustion on a hot surface were studied. Comparisons between evaporation and burning times of isolated droplets, two- and three-droplet linear arrays, and a five-droplet array (a centre droplet surrounded by four droplets) were made. The liquids studied were water, n -heptane, and n -hexadecane at 0.101 MPa and at surface temperatures above their respective Leidenfrost values. A range of centre distance to initial droplet diameter ratios, L / d 0 , were studied (2 < L / d 0 < ∞). The evaporation or burning rates of droplets in binary arrays were found to be identical to those of isolated droplets ( L / d 0 → ∞). The flames around each droplet, however, merged as the droplets were brought closer together. In three- and five-droplet arrays more significant interactions were observed, with the edge droplets in the arrays burning faster than the centre droplets. The results are explained on the basis of flame-height measurements for the arrays. In pure evaporation, though, the droplets evaporated without regard for their neighbours.