Levitation and Self-Organization of Droplets

We review studies of levitating droplets over liquid-gas interfaces and dry solid surfaces with a focus on the physical mechanisms of levitation under different conditions. A fascinating physical phenomenon of self-organization of levitating droplets into large arrays is described and explanations f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnual review of fluid mechanics Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 203 - 225
Main Authors Ajaev, Vladimir S, Kabov, Oleg A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Annual Reviews 05.01.2021
Subjects
evaporation
flotation
Leidenfrost effect
Marangoni flow
Stefan flow
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Summary:We review studies of levitating droplets over liquid-gas interfaces and dry solid surfaces with a focus on the physical mechanisms of levitation under different conditions. A fascinating physical phenomenon of self-organization of levitating droplets into large arrays is described and explanations for this unusual behavior are reviewed. Closely related topics of nonisothermal flotation and levitation of evaporating droplets over a pool of nonvolatile liquid, as well as recent advances in the study of the Leidenfrost effect, are also discussed.
ISSN:0066-4189
1545-4479
DOI:10.1146/annurev-fluid-030620-094158