Capillary-Driven Rise of Well-Wetting Liquid on the Outer Surface of Cylindrical Nozzles

Well-wetting liquids exiting small-diameter nozzles in the dripping regime can partially rise up along the outer nozzle surfaces. This is problematic for fuel injectors and other devices such as direct-contact heat and mass exchangers that incorporate arrays of nozzles to distribute liquids. We report our experimental and numerical study of the rising phenomenon for wide ranges of parameters. Our study shows that the interplay of three dimensionless numbers (the Bond number, the Weber number, and the Ohnesorge number) governs the capillary-driven rise dynamics. In general, as the flow rate or the viscosity increases, the capillary-driven rise height over each dripping period becomes smaller. We identify liquid flow rates below which the temporal evolution of the meniscus positions can be well approximated by a quasistatic model based on the Young-Laplace equation. Our analysis reveals two critical Bond numbers that give nozzle sizes, which correspond to the maximum meniscus rise and the onset of capillary-driven rise cessation. These critical Bond numbers are characterized as a function of the contact angle, regardless of the fluid type. Our study leads to a more efficient and optimized nozzle design in systems using wetting liquids by reducing both the risks of contamination and high pressure drop in such devices.