A New Model for Capillary Imbibition With Asymmetric Wettability Walls

Zhu, Chenyue; Yan, Yuying; Alston, Mark

Abstract

The imbibition dynamics is controlled by energy dissipation mechanisms and influenced by asymmetric wettability in a nanochannel. This work proposes a new theoretical model for capillary imbibition while the imbibition dynamics are described by a combined model of the Lucas-Washburn equation and the Cox-Voinov law considering velocity-dependent contact angles. Most of previous studies on capillary imbibition have focused on channels with walls of homogeneous and symmetric wettability. The imbibition dynamics in channels with asymmetric wettability is not well understood. Meanwhile, the energy dissipation mechanism in capillary imbibition also remains to be elucidated. Here, theoretical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations are combined to investigate the energy dissipation mechanism of capillary imbibition in nanochannels. The model may have a wide range of applications, for example, in development of novel materials and microfluidic chips, control of transport of water molecules and ions in cement-based materials, and regulating the spontaneous imbibition of hydraulicfracturing fluids in shale reservoirs.

Citation

Zhu, C., Yan, Y., & Alston, M. (2024, August). A New Model for Capillary Imbibition With Asymmetric Wettability Walls. Presented at ASME 2024 7th International Conference on Micro/Nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer, Nottingham, UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Edited Proceedings
• Conference Name: ASME 2024 7th International Conference on Micro/Nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer
• Start Date: Aug 5, 2024
• End Date: Aug 7, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 20, 2024
• Publication Date: Aug 5, 2024
• Deposit Date: Oct 23, 2024
• Publisher: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Series Title: International Conference on Micro/Nanoscale Heat Transfer (MNHT)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/mnhmt2024-131972
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/40250542
• Publisher URL: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/MNHT/proceedings-abstract/MNHMT2024/88155/V001T03A004/1206476
• Related Public URLs: https://event.asme.org/MNHMT; https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/conference/fac-eng/ukhtc2024/7th-asme-mnhtc-international-conference-new.aspx