Characterization of Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Anti-icing in a Low-Temperature Wind Tunnel
- Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey
- ORNL
In this study, a closed loop low-temperature wind tunnel was custom-built and uniquely used to investigate the anti-icing mechanism of superhydrophobic surfaces in regulated flow velocities, temperatures, humidity, and water moisture particle sizes. Silica nanoparticle-based hydrophobic coatings were tested as superhydrophobic surface models. During tests, images of ice formation were captured by a camera and used for analysis of ice morphology. Prior to and after wind tunnel testing, apparent contact angles of water sessile droplets on samples were measured by a contact angle meter to check degradation of surface superhydrophobicity. A simple peel test was also performed to estimate adhesion of ice on the surfaces. When compared to an untreated sample, superhydrophobic surfaces inhibited initial ice formation. After a period of time, random droplet strikes attached to the superhydrophobic surfaces and started to coalesce with previously deposited ice droplets. These sites appear as mounds of accreted ice across the surface. The appearance of the ice formations on the superhydrophobic samples is white rather than transparent, and is due to trapped air. These ice formations resemble soft rime ice rather than the transparent glaze ice seen on the untreated sample. Compared to untreated surfaces, the icing film formed on superhydrophobic surfaces was easy to peel off by shear flows.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- OE USDOE - Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1025379
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2010 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 20100912, 20100918
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Water droplet behavior on superhydrophobic SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite films during icing/deicing cycles
Superhydrophobicity on transparent fluorinated ethylene propylene films with nano-protrusion morphology by Ar + O{sub 2} plasma etching: Study of the degradation in hydrophobicity after exposure to the environment