Droplet Nucleation and Growth in the Presence of Noncondensable Gas: A Molecular Dynamics Study

The presence of noncondensable gas (NCG) followed by undesirable heat transfer deterioration cannot be avoided in some situations. In this work, droplet nucleation and growth for the Ar–Ne mixed system are investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. Different droplet state transition modes corresponding to the subcooling degree or NCG content are obtained. The interaction between NCG and a droplet caused by gas enrichment near the solid surface is considered to explain the droplet wetting state during the condensation process. Finally, the disappearance mechanism of the flooding mode on the nanostructured surface under a large amount of NCG is clarified from the nanoscale, which could encourage a clear understanding of the NCG effect on dropwise condensation heat transfer on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces.