Prof. Jian Xie

North China Electric Power University, China

E-mail: xiejian90@ncepu.edu.cn

Bio

Dr. Jian Xie is associate professor from North China Electric Power University. He is the leader of the innovation team of advanced power generation system. His research interest includes heat transfer of multiphase flow and supercritical fluid, advanced power cycle and low-grade energy utilization. He published more than 50 papers and obtained 25 granted patents, among which the phase separation heat transfer exchanger won the excellent product award in China Hi-tech Fair. Due to contributions on mechanism and modulation method of phase change heat transfer, Dr. Jian Xie won the first prize of natural science award of the ministry of education, excellent young talents in Beijing, Chen Xuejun outstanding paper award, excellent editorial board member of Journal of Thermal Science, Clean Energy Science and Technology, etc.

Title

Dropwise condensation on elastic membrane

Abstract

Dropwise condensation on elastic membrane is a common phenomenon in daily life, agriculture, and industrial applications. Here, dropwise condensation of moist air under elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane were systematically studied. The relationship among the condensation heat transfer performance, droplet dynamics, deformation of elastic membrane was mainly discussed by experiment and theoretical analysis. Some new phenomena were observed for the first time, including toroidal bubble generates in liquid bridge during coalescence of condensate droplets, micro heat pipe effect to form the nested structure of droplet-bubble-droplet. Such phenomena extend the length of the three-phase contact line on elastic membrane, delaying droplet detachment and deteriorating the heat transfer of dropwise condensation. To overcome the above weakness, the superhydrophobic PDMS membrane were fabricated with nanostructures, obtaining small droplet detachment size with coalescence- induced-jumping mode and 3.18 times of heat transfer enhancement. Compared to the superhydrophobic surface on rigid basement, the superhydrophobic elastic membrane needs no additional coating to behave durability. Thus, the superhydrophobic elastic membrane will be a promising functional surface for dropwise condensation. It is expected to be applied in the fields of solar desalination, defogging and water-saving of cooling tower, etc.