Thermodynamics of an oblique droplet impinging on stationary water film

The flow and heat transfer of the oblique impact of a droplet on a stationary liquid film with various dimensionless thicknesses (01.0–0.5) are investigated experimentally and numerically. A superhydrophobic guideway is used to create the oblique impact of a droplet, which causes subsequent asymmetric crown structure and splashing. The thermal level set method is employed to capture the deformation and heat transfer of warm droplets' oblique impact on a cold liquid film. A parameter study of the effect of Weber number, oblique angle, and liquid film thickness on geometrical characteristics and wall heat flux is carried out. The results show that in the downstream direction, during the crown rising period, the radius is independent of the normal Weber number but increases for a larger tangential Weber number and a thinner liquid film. The maximum downstream crown height increases with an increase in the Weber number and exhibits a non-monotonic trend with the liquid film thickness. The heat transfer rate between the liquid film and surface decreases with larger oblique angles and thicker liquid films while having a poor dependence on the Weber number. In addition, the critical oblique angles for prompting splashing at different liquid film thicknesses are presented. Finally, modified thermodynamics models and splashing thresholds for the liquid film are developed to further enhance the understanding of aircraft icing.