Comprehensive study on collision patterns of viscous droplets impacting on a heated particle

The collision process involving droplets and heated particles has gained significant attention due to its wide industrial relevance. This study utilizes a high-speed photography to investigate the collision dynamics between viscous droplets and heated particles. The research identifies six distinct collision patterns. In the bubble-breakup mode, the particle experiences the greatest temperature drop, resulting in the most substantial heat transfer. The particle temperature plays a crucial role in determining collision behavior when the Reynolds number exceeds 100 and the Weber number exceeds 55. The maximum spreading area demonstrates a linear relationship with the Weber number, while it reaches a peak and stabilizes with Reynolds numbers in the deposition regime. Contact angle fluctuations are caused by the instability of the contact line. The liquid film thickness exhibits linear and power growth phases, followed by a rapid decrease in the bubble-breakup regime. While the branch-breakup pattern sees smaller fragmented droplet sizes, the atomization-breakup pattern sees flow velocity rise with both Reynolds and Weber numbers. The predicted wavelength of the disturbance in the atomization regime, based on Rayleigh-Taylor instability theory, aligns well with the experimental measurements. The residence time correlates positively with the Weber number.