2023/07/18 by Khang Ee Pang, Pang, Khang Ee, Charles Cuvillier +5
Engineering · Materials Science · #FOS: Physical sciences #Fluid Dynamics (physics.flu-dyn) #Fluid Dynamics and Thin Films #Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies #Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2307.09310
openalex publication_date 2023/07/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
We investigate theoretically the stability of thermo-capillary convection within a droplet when heated by a point source from below. To model the droplet, we use a mathematical model based on lubrication theory. We formulate a base-state droplet profile, and we examine its respect to small-amplitude perturbations in the azimuthal direction. Such linear stability analysis reveals that the base state is stable across a wide parameter space. We carry out transient simulations in three spatial dimensions: the simulations reveal that when the heating is slightly off-centered with respect to the droplet center, vortices develop within the droplet. The vortices persist when the contact line is pinned. These findings are consistent with experimental studies of point-heated sessile droplets.