Effect of gas flow rate on bubble formation on superhydrophobic surface

Abstract

We experimentally studied the effect of gas flow rate Q on the bubble formation on a superhydrophobic surface (SHS). We varied Q in the range of 0.001 < Q/Q_cr < 0.35, where Q_cr is the critical value for a transition from the quasi-static regime to the dynamic regime. The bubble geometrical parameters and forces acting on the bubble were calculated. We found that as Q increase, the bubble detached volume (V_d) increased. After proper normalization, the relationship between V_d and Q generally agreed with those observed for bubbles detaching from hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Furthermore, we found that Q had a minor impact on bubble shape and the duration of bubble necking due to the negligible momentum of injected gas compared to surface tension and hydrostatic pressure. Lastly, we explained the primary reason for the larger V_d at higher flow rates, which was increased bubble volume during the necking process. Our results enhanced the fundamental understanding of bubble formation on complex surfaces and could provide potential solutions for controlling bubble generation and extending the application of SHS for drag reduction, anti-fouling, and heat and mass transfer enhancement.

References

[1] Han S, You K, Kim K, Park J. Measurement of the attachment force between an air bubble and a mineral surface: relationship between the attachment force and flotation kinetics. Langmuir. 2019;35:9364-9373.

[2] Corbett C, Wang Q, Smith W, Liu W, Walmsley AD. Cleaning effects due to shape oscillation of bubbles over a rigid boundary. Phys Fluids. 2023;35:123335.

[3] Shakya G, Cattaneo M, Guerriero G, Prasanna A, Fiorini S, Supponen O. Ultrasound-responsive microbubbles and nanodroplets: a pathway to targeted drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2024;206:115178.

[4] Anna SL. Droplets and bubbles in microfluidic devices. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2016;48:285-309.

[5] Kumar R, Kuloor NK. The formation of bubbles and drops. In: TB Drew, GR Cokelet, JW Hoopes, T Vermeulen, eds. Advances in Chemical Engineering. Vol 8. Academic Press;1970:255-368.

[6] Kulkarni AA, Joshi JB. Bubble formation and bubble rise velocity in gas−liquid systems: a review. Ind Eng Chem Res. 2005;44:5873-5931.

[7] Zhou Y, Ji B, Yan X, Jin P, Li J, Miljkovic N. Asymmetric bubble formation at rectangular orifices. Langmuir. 2021;37:4302-4307.

[8] Hanafizadeh P, Sattari A, Hosseini-Doost SE, Nouri AG, Ashjaee M. Effect of orifice shape on bubble formation mechanism. Meccanica. 2018;53:2461-2483.

[9] Vafaei S, Borca-Tasciuc T, Wen D. Theoretical and experimental investigation of quasi-steady-state bubble growth on top of submerged stainless steel nozzles. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2010;369:11-19.

[10] Gnyloskurenko S, Byakova A, Nakamura T, Raychenko O. Influence of wettability on bubble formation in liquid. J Mater Sci. 2005;40:2437-2441.

[11] Byakova AV, Gnyloskurenko SV, Nakamura T, Raychenko OI. Influence of wetting conditions on bubble formation at orifice in an inviscid liquid: mechanism of bubble evolution. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2003;229:19-32.

[12] Gerlach D, Biswas G, Durst F, Kolobaric V. Quasi-static bubble formation on submerged orifices. Int J Heat Mass Transf. 2005;48:425-438.

[13] Corchero G, Medina A, Higuera FJ. Effect of wetting conditions and flow rate on bubble formation at orifices submerged in water. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2006;290:41-49.

[14] Mirsandi H, Smit WJ, Kong G, Baltussen MW, Peters EAJF, Kuipers JAM. Influence of wetting conditions on bubble formation from a submerged orifice. Exp Fluids. 2020;61:83.

[15] Mohseni E, Chiamulera ME, Reinecke SF, Hampel U. Bubble formation from sub-millimeter orifices: experimental analysis and modeling. Chem Eng Process Process Intensification. 2022;173:108809.

[16] Oguz HN, Prosperetti A. Dynamics of bubble growth and detachment from a needle. J Fluid Mech. 1993;257:111-145.

[17] Qu C, Yu Y, Zhang J. Experimental study of bubbling regimes on submerged micro-orifices. Int J Heat Mass Transf. 2017;111:17-28.

[18] Georgoulas A, Koukouvinis P, Gavaises M, Marengo M. Numerical investigation of quasi-static bubble growth and detachment from submerged orifices in isothermal liquid pools: the effect of varying fluid properties and gravity levels. Int J Multiphase Flow. 2015;74:59-78.

[19] Terasaka K, Tsuge H. Bubble formation at a single orifice in non-Newtonian liquids. Chem Eng Sci. 1991;46:85-93.

[20] Rodríguez-Rodríguez J, Sevilla A, Martínez-Bazán C, Gordillo JM. Generation of microbubbles with applications to industry and medicine. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2015;47:405-429.

[21] Rubio-Rubio M, Bolaños-Jiménez R, Martínez-Bazán C, Muñoz-Hervás JC, Sevilla A. Superhydrophobic substrates allow the generation of giant quasi-static bubbles. J Fluid Mech. 2021;912: A25.

[22] Qiao S, Cai C, Chen W, Pan C, Liu Y. Control of the shape of bubble growth on underwater substrates with different sizes of superhydrophobic circles. Phys Fluids. 2022;34:067110.

[23] Breveleri J, Mohammadshahi S, Dunigan T, Ling H. Plastron restoration for underwater superhydrophobic surface by porous material and gas injection. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2023;676:132319.

[24] O’Coin D, Ling H. Dynamics of bubble formation on superhydrophobic surface under a constant gas flow rate at quasi-static regime. Phys Fluids. 2024;36:08330.

[25] Mohammadshahi S, Breveleri J, Ling H. Fabrication and characterization of super-hydrophobic surfaces based on sandpapers and nano-particle coatings. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2023;666:131358.

[26] Xu S, Wang Q, Wang N. Chemical fabrication strategies for achieving bioinspired superhydrophobic surfaces with micro and nanostructures: a review. Adv Eng Mater. 2021;23:2001083.

[27] Mohammadshahi S, O’Coin D, Ling H. Impact of sandpaper grit size on drag reduction and plastron stability of super-hydrophobic surface in turbulent flows. Phys Fluids. 2024;36:025139.

[28] Ling H, Srinivasan S, Golovin K, McKinley GH, Tuteja A, Katz J. High-resolution velocity measurement in the inner part of turbulent boundary layers over super-hydrophobic surfaces. J Fluid Mech. 2016;801:670-703.

[29] Park H, Choi CH, Kim CJ. Superhydrophobic drag reduction in turbulent flows: a critical review. Exp Fluids. 2021;62:229.

[30] Feng X, Sun P, Tian G. Recent developments of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) for underwater drag reduction opportunities and challenges. Adv Mater Interfaces. 2022;9:2101616.

[31] Guan SY, Zhang ZH, Wu R, Gu XK, Zhao CY. Pool boiling inside micro-nano composite pores: thermofluids behaviors and heat transfer enhancement. Appl Phys Lett. 2024;124:093508.

[32] Hong M, Mo D, Heng Y. Bubble dynamics analysis of pool boiling heat transfer with honeycomb micro-nano porous structured surfaces. Int Commun Heat Mass Transfer. 2024;152:107256.

[33] Xu N, Liu Z, Yu X, Gao J, Chu H. Processes, models and the influencing factors for enhanced boiling heat transfer in porous structures. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2024;192:114244.

[34] Miljkovic N, Wang EN. Condensation heat transfer on superhydrophobic surfaces. MRS Bull. 2013;38:397-406.

[35] Chang X, Li M, Tang S, et al. Superhydrophobic micro-nano structured PTFE/WO3 coating on low-temperature steel with outstanding anti-pollution, anti-icing, and anti-foulin performance. Surf Coat Technol. 2022;434:128214.

[36] Elius M, Richard S, Boyle K, Chang WS, Moisander PH, Ling H. Impact of gas bubbles on bacterial adhesion on super-hydrophobic aluminum surfaces. Results Surf Interfaces. 2024;15:100211.

[37] Huang W, Huang J, Guo Z, Liu W. Icephobic/anti-icing properties of superhydrophobic surfaces. Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2022;304:102658.

[38] Latthe SS, Sutar RS, Bhosale AK, et al. Recent developments in air-trapped superhydrophobic and liquid-infused slippery surfaces for anti-icing application. Prog Org Coat. 2019;137:105373.

[39] Mohamed AMA, Abdullah AM, Younan NA. Corrosion behavior of superhydrophobic surfaces: a review. Arabian J Chem. 2015;8:749-765.

[40] Xiang T, Han Y, Guo Z, et al. Fabrication of inherent anticorrosion superhydrophobic surfaces on metals. ACS Sustain Chem Eng. 2018;6:5598-5606.

[41] Ling H, Katz J, Fu M, Hultmark M. Effect of Reynolds number and saturation level on gas diffusion in and out of a superhydrophobic surface. Phys Rev Fluids. 2017;2:124005.

[42] Nosrati A, Mohammadshahi S, Raessi M, Ling H. Impact of the undersaturation level on the longevity of superhydrophobic surfaces in stationary liquids. Langmuir. 2023;39:18124-18131.

[43] Bourgoun A, Ling H. A general model for the longevity of super-hydrophobic surfaces in under-saturated, stationary liquid. J Heat Transfer. 2022;144:042101.

[44] Ma J, Li J, Zhou P, Song Y, Chai L, Zhou CQ. A viewpoint on the dynamics of bubble formation from a submerged nozzle. Eur J Mech B Fluids. 2019;78:276-283.

[45] Tate T. On the magnitude of a drop of liquid formed under different circumstances. London, Edinburgh Dublin Philos Mag J Sci. 1864;27:176-180.

[46] Burton JC, Waldrep R, Taborek P. Scaling and instabilities in bubble pinch-off. Phys Rev Lett. 2005;94:184502.

[47] Keim NC, Møller P, Zhang WW, Nagel SR. Breakup of air bubbles in water: memory and breakdown of cylindrical symmetry. Phys Rev Lett. 2006;97:144503.

[48] Thoroddsen ST, Etoh TG, Takehara K. Experiments on bubble pinch-off. Phys Fluids. 2007;19:042101.

[49] Quan S, Hua J. Numerical studies of bubble necking in viscous liquids. Phys Rev E. 2008;77:66303.

[50] Loubière K, Hébrard G. Bubble formation from a flexible hole submerged in an inviscid liquid. Chem Eng Sci. 2003;58:135-148.

[51] Di Bari S, Robinson AJ. Experimental study of gas injected bubble growth from submerged orifices. Exp Therm Fluid Sci. 2013;44:124-137.

[52] Vafaei S, Angeli P, Wen D. Bubble growth rate from stainless steel substrate and needle nozzles. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2011;384:240-247.

[53] Zhu D, Song Y, Gao F, et al. Achieving underwater stable drag reduction on superhydrophobic porous steel via active injection of small amounts of air. Ocean Eng. 2024;308:118329.

[54] Cho W, Heo S, Lee SJ. Effects of surface air injection on the air stability of superhydrophobic surface under partial replenishment of plastron. Phys Fluids. 2022;34:122115.

[55] Qin S, Fang H, Sun S, Wang X, Cao L, Wu D. Fabrication of air-permeable superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent non-wetting property. Mater Lett. 2022;313:131783.

[56] Li Z, Marlena J, Pranantyo D, Nguyen BL, Yap CH. A porous superhydrophobic surface with active air plastron control for drag reduction and fluid impalement resistance. J Mater Chem A Mater. 2019;7:16387-16396.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2025 2025 The Author(s). Droplet published by Jilin University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.