Numerical and experimental study of capillary forces in trapezoid microgrooves

The evaporation of thin liquid films is of significant importance in a wide variety of heat transfer problems. The vaporization process of thin liquid films in a trapezoid microgroove channel was investigated both numerically and experimentally. In order to predict the wetted axial length of capillary flow in a trapezoid microgroove, the nonlinear governing equation was solved numerically and a simplified algebraic equation was also derived. The parameters include the input heat flux, tilt angle of grooved surface, thermophysical properties of working fluid, and geometric parameters of microgrooves. In order to investigate the effect of geometric parameters of microgrooves on the wetted axial length, a series of either trapezoid or triangular microgrooves was machined on the surface of copper test devices for experimental measurements. Measurements were conducted using either methanol or ethanol as working fluid at four different tilt angles of grooved surface and four applied input heat flux values. The wetted axial length was measured using microscopy observation. The predicted results of the algebraic equation are found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental data, especially for cases of higher lilt angle or higher heat flux. Besides, using microgrooves of triangular shape or using methanol as working fluid can increase the wetted axial length of microgrooves.