Estimating the Maximum Splat Diameter of a Solidifying Droplet

We present a simple analytical model for the estimation of the maximum splat diameter of an impacting droplet on a subcooled target. This work is an extension of the isothermal model of Pasandideh-Fard et al. (1996). The model uses an energy conservation argument, applied between the initial and final drop configurations, to approximately capture the dynamics of spreading. The effects of viscous dissipation, surface tension, and contact angle are taken into account. Tests against limited experimental data at high Reynolds and Weber numbers indicate that an accuracy of the order of 5% is achieved with no adjustable parameters required. Agreement with experimental data in the limit We(yields)(infinity) is also very good. We additionally propose a simple model for the estimation of the thickness of the freezing layer developed at the droplet-substrate contact during droplet spreading. This model accounts for the effect of thermal contact resistance and its predictions compare favorably with experimental data