TY  - EJOU
AU  - Hu, Yue 
AU  - Zhang, Lu-Wen 

TI  - Nanoarray-Embedded	Hierarchical	Hydrophobic	Surfaces	for	Enhancing	 Durable Dropwise	Condensation
T2  - The International Conference on Computational \& Experimental Engineering and Sciences

PY  - 2023
VL  - 26
IS  - 1
SN  - 1933-2815

AB  - Liquid	accretion	control	plays	a	key	role	across	a	wide	range	of	industrial	applications,	such	as	anti-icing,	
power	generation,	sewage	treatment,	water	desalination,	and	energy	harvesting. In	condensation	system,	
durable	 dropwise	 condensation	 of	 saturated	 vapor	 for	 heat	 transfer	 and	 energy	 saving	 in	 extensive	
industrial applications.	 While	 numerous	 superhydrophobic	 surfaces	 can	 promote	 steam	 condensation,	
maintaining	discrete	microdroplets	on	surfaces	without	the	formation	of	a	flooded	filmwise	condensation	
at	 high	 subcooling	 remains	 challenging.	 Here,	 we	 report	 the	 development	 of	 carbon	 nanotube	 arrayembedded	hierarchical	composite	surfaces	that	enable	ultra-durable	dropwise	condensation	under	a	wide	
range	of	subcooling	temperatures	(∆<i>T</i><sub>sub</sub> =	8 K–38 K),	which	outperforms	existing	nanowire	surfaces.	This	
performance	stems	 from	 the	combined	strategies	of	 the	hydrophobic	nanostructures	 that	allow	efficient	
surface	 renewal	 and	 the	 patterned	 hydrophilic	 micro	 frames	 that	 protect	 the	 nanostructures	 and	 also	
accelerate	 droplet	 nucleation.	 The	 synergistic	 effects	 of	 the	 composite	 design	 ensure	 sustained	 Cassie	
wetting	mode	and	capillarity-governed	droplet	mobility	(Bond	number	<	0.055)	as	well	as	the	large	specific	
volume	of	condensed	droplets,	which	contributes	to	the	enhanced	condensation	heat	transfer.	Our	design	
provides	a	feasible	alternative	for	efficiently	transferring	heat	in	a	vapor	environment	with	relatively	high	
temperatures	through	the	tunable	multiscale	morphology.
KW  - 

DO  - 10.32604/icces.2023.010595