Thin liquid film dynamics on a spinning spheroid

Abstract

The present work explores the impact of rotation on the dynamics of a thin liquid layer deposited on a spheroid (bi-axial ellipsoid) rotating around its vertical axis. An evolution equation based on the lubrication approximation was derived, which takes into account the combined effects of the non-uniform curvature, capillarity, gravity, and rotation. This approximate model was solved numerically, and the results were compared favorably with solutions of the full Navier–Stokes equations. A key advantage of the lubrication approximation is the solution time, which was shown to be at least one order of magnitude shorter than for the full Navier–Stokes equations, revealing the prospect of controlling film dynamics for coating applications. The thin film dynamics were investigated for a wide range of geometric, kinematic, and material parameters. The model showed that, in contrast to the purely gravity-driven case, in which the fluid drains downwards and accumulates at the south pole, rotation leads to a migration of the maximum film thickness towards the equator, where the centrifugal force is the strongest.