Development of a New Contact Angle Control Algorithm for Level-Set Method

Abstract

A contact angle control algorithm is developed and implemented in the multiphase interface tracking flow solver—phasta. The subgrid force model is introduced to control the evolving contact angle. The contact angle force is applied when the current contact angle deviates from the desired value (or range of values) and decreases to zero when it reaches the desired value. The single bubble departure simulation and the capillary flat plates simulation are performed for verification purpose. The numerical results are compared with the analytical solution with good agreement. The mesh resolution sensitivity analysis and parametric study are conducted for both simulations. Coupled with the other existing capabilities in phasta like evaporation and condensation algorithm, the contact angle control algorithm will allow us to investigate the boiling phenomenon in various conditions with lower cost (by utilizing localized mesh refinement for bubble growth region) compared to uniformly refined structured meshes and in engineering geometries.