Modeling and experimental study of vapor phase-diffusion driven sessile drop evaporation

Modeling the evaporation of a water droplet spraying into a variable parameter chamber is a crucial step in ice production. It can result in a better understanding of vacuum ice production or dehumidification ice production procedure. This study developed numerical diffusion-control partial differential equations to describe droplet behavior at different chamber parameters. This study also theoretically examines the cooling phenomenon of water droplets due to evaporation in an evaporation chamber. Initial injection diameters, relative humidity of the evaporation chamber, temperature and pressure are some of the parameters considered. The prediction of the model was in agreement with experimental data. Results show that the smaller the initial radius of the droplet in the saturated evaporation chamber, the faster the droplet freezes, even though both have the same equilibrium temperature. Low relative humidity can significantly reduce the droplet flash time. The temperature of the droplet changes a lot at different initial injection diameter, relative humidity and pressure of the evaporation chamber. Different initial temperatures hardly affect the temperature variation of the droplet. •Partial differential equations were established in order to describe the droplet vaporization.•The model shows great coherency with experimental results of our predecessors.•Unsaturated condition leads to a supercooling degree of the droplet about −1 °C.•Temperature of vapor chamber has little effect on the decrease of the droplet temperature.