Wet front propagation for water jet impingement on flat surface

A casted leaded-bronze block was impinged by a circular water jet. A 30-fps digital camera was used to video record the wet front propagation process on the surface of the block. The video frames were analyzed to illustrate the effect of different key parameters on the wetting front propagation. Regression correlations were developed to describe the effect of the jet Reynolds number (Red), the ratio of the degree of jet subcooling to the initial temperature of the block Δ T sub T i and the nozzle-to-surface spacing (H) on the wetting front propagation. The correlation is applicable for the experimental ranges investigated; 12,155 ≤ Red ≤ 36,460, 0.085 ≤ T sub T i ≤ 0.107 and H ≥ 30 mm. Good agreement was found between the experimental results and the correlation predictions with a maximum deviation of 25%. At high Reynolds number, the wetting front propagation was faster due to the high velocity and flow inertia. As the ratio Δ T sub T i increased, the wetting front propagation was accelerated. The effect of the nozzle-to-surface height on the propagation speed was negligible for H ≥ 30 mm. The effect of the increased liquid head on the terminal velocity was weakened by the drag forces on the jet as well as the jet instabilities associated with the large spacing.