An experimental investigation of droplet volume effects on frost crystal growth characteristics with centrifugal force considered

In certain scenarios involving frosting, the surface is rotating and is influenced by centrifugal force. To enhance the understanding of the frosting mechanisms affected by this force, this study conducts experimental research on the individual freezing of droplets with varying volumes and the growth characteristics of frost crystals on their surfaces utilizing a rotating system. The findings show that under a centrifugal acceleration of 11.84 m/s², the deformation observed in a droplet with a volume of 0.5 μL is negligible; however, droplets of larger volumes exhibit significant deformation. As the droplet volume increases from 0.5 to 14.0 μL, the collapse times per unit arc length for the left side decrease from 71 to 20, whereas the right side exhibits a reduction from 62 to 16 during the initial 10-min frosting period. Notably, the values for the left side of the frozen droplet are generally higher than those for the right side across the range of droplet volumes examined. At 1800 s, the maximum heights of frost crystals for volumes of 0.5, 2.0, 6.0, 10.0, and 14.0 μL are 1.70, 2.02, 2.46, 2.82, and 2.87 mm, respectively. The corresponding left equivalent radii of the frost crystals are 1.00, 1.28, 1.77, 2.03, and 2.09 mm, while the corresponding right equivalent radii are 0.94, 1.42, 1.95, 2.60, and 2.77 mm, respectively. This research aims to elucidate the mechanisms of frosting and provide insights for practical applications involving centrifugal force.