Supercooled Water Droplet Impact Surface

The proposed research is focused on the experimental and numerical investigation of the mechanisms of freezing for a supercooled droplet impacting a cold surface. The objective is to improve the understanding and the modelling of the droplet spreading and freezing by considering some first-order mechanisms that are currently neglected, the interaction between the droplet and the host structure, and to identify a good strategy to prevent or delay the ice accretion.

A goal of the research is to investigate the effects of ultrasonic waves on the impact of the supercooled water droplet.  Shown are preliminary results for a water droplet (not supercooled) impacting a plate with a piezoeletric actuator attached to the bottom.  Atomization of the water droplet occurs within a few milliseconds.