Modeling of Aerodynamic Leidenfrost Effect of Oil Droplets

Abstract The objective of this study was to develop a numerical model for the aerodynamic Leidenfrost effect (ALE) to simulate the levitation of a lubricant drop near a surface at a high speed. In this model, the oil droplet is treated as a deformable soft elastic body, whose weight is supported by the air film lubrication pressure. The Young's modulus of the oil droplet is represented by its internal pressure and surface tension. In this modeling approach, the two-dimensional compressible Reynolds equation for air and elasticity equations were discretized using the finite difference approach. The discretized system of equations was then numerically solved in matlab. The effects of various droplet weights, surface tensions, and air speeds on the air film thickness and pressure profiles were investigated. The numerical model developed was utilized to obtain expressions for minimum and central film thickness as well as maximum pressure in ALE as functions of dimensionless speed and load. This article provides the details necessary to simulate the ALE across a range of loads and speeds.