J Fluid Mech. (2008), vol. 617, pp 283-289.

©Cambridge University Press

doi: 10.1017/S002211200800431X Printed in the United Kingdom

On the drag- out problem in liquid film theory

E.S Benilov and V.S. Zubkov

(Dept. of Mathematics, University of Limerick, Ireland)

Abstract: This report is a detailed analysis of the drag out of an infinite plate from a pool of viscous

liquid. Many industrial processes involve coating of surfaces that can be modeled on this setting. This

report is one such effort to explain such a setting and thus incorporate it on an industrial level. Benilov

and Zubkov (2008) attempted to solve the problem by simulation of Deraguin’s paper (1945).

Setback of Deraguin’s paper: In the case of Deraguin (1945), the thickness of the liquid film was

determined by the emptying of a liquid from a container. The problem admits to infinite solutions all

corresponding to different loads and it is unclear why only (1.1) is selected from the others. Secondly, the

formula does not have any rigorous mathematical proof; hence it is difficult to establish any physical

limitations. In this paper however, Benilov and Zubkov (2008) have attempted to solve the above

problems to an extent.

This report includes the analysis of drag out and the thickness of the liquid film without incorporating the

effects of surface tension and inertia, also the flow is considered to be under the ‘Creeping Flow’ regime.

It includes the comparison of the same plate being dragged out vertically and at an angle from an infinite

pool of viscous liquid and incorporating the ‘Capillary number’, which is a dimensionless no. that

compares the intensity of viscosity and surface tension. It is tough to neglect the effect of surface tension

on the plate since the liquid film clings to the plate.

Background of the paper

Benilov and Zubkov (2008) divided the paper into 3 parts:

1. Formulation of the problem

There are several assumptions that can be made in the derivation of the formula following Deraguin’s

paper. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible and is considered to be a Newtonian liquid. In this

paper the surface tension is assumed to be zero. Following Deraguin (1945) we shall assume that the

inertia and surface tension are negligible. Thus the flow is governed by Stokes’ equations

In the Cartesian co-ordinate system, Stokes’ equation is used and the flow equations obtained (2.1). Also

continuity is satisfied (2.2). No-slip boundary condition is applied at the plate (2.3). The other boundary

condition is the effect of zero stress on the surface of the film (2.5). The effect dewetting is considered to

be negligible. Dwetting is the process of rupture of the thin film and is characteristic of the spreading co-

efficient. This gives rise to the presence of a contact point which is considered to move with the plate

corresponding to the boundary condition (2.7) and (2.8). Due to the presence of the presence of the

boundary layer we introduce the non-dimensional variables (2.9) and (2.10) into the Stokes’ set and

obtain equations (2.11)-(2.18).

Assuming that the slope of the plate is small i.e. ε<<1 lubrication analysis is used to treat equations

(2.11)-(2.15) as a boundary value problem and it is expressed as expansions in ε2 to obtain (2.19). Thus,

substituting this into (2.16) we get (2.20).

1.2 The Effect of minimum surface tension

The paper is concerned with the effect of negligible surface tension, but it can be used to discuss the

capillary effects on this system by modifying (2.20). Thus the incorporation of surface tension gives

(2.23). The surface tension and capillarity effects are discussed in the critique and analysis part. Here

the discussion will continue without the inclusion of the surface tension or capillarity.

2. The small slope limit

The steady state emerges only at the edge of the pool and the film’s tip remains unsteady at large times

t>>1, the two regions of the film can be separated and examined separately.

Asymptotic results for t>>1

 For the steady state solution, (2.20) yields (3.1). Using the boundary conditions (3.2) we get (3.3)

which matches (3.4). On simulating this equation the observed range of thickness of the liquid film

under steady state was found to be as shown in equation (3.5). It also turns out that the characteristic

load can be determined by studying the unsteady part of the film.

This load can be found by assuming the solution to be of the form (3.6) and (3.7). After several

mathematical variations and simulations equation (3.17) is obtained which is a composite asymptotic

solution. If the solution outside the load were steady, then the mean thickness would be equal to that

of the load l, but, since the film is mainly unsteady and its thickness varies from l to 0, the mean is

less than l. To calculate the mean thickness for t>>1, one can approximate the profile of the solution

by taking into account that the film thickness grows linearly with time; the non-dimensional thickness

obtained is found to be ⅔. Dimensionally the film’s mean thickness is 1.5 times smaller than the load

given in the formula (1.1).

3. The case of finite slope

If the slope of the film is not small then the Stokes’ equation does not involve parameters that can be

solved numerically as they would have to incorporate the effect of surface tension on the plate. This

work is carried out by Jin et al. (2005) for a more general case that has been covered in the critique

and analysis. In the present work the surface tension is neglected as the asymptotic results need to be

verified.

The Stokes’ equation (2.11)-(2.18) was solved using the Incompressible Navier Stokes’ equation of

the COMSOL package. The parameters were chosen such that in all the runs the Reynolds no. was

10-4, as a result the inertia was negligible. The results are verified by Figure 8. It is observed that this

small slope approximation is applicable only α<35°. Also the range of the error is 10-3 which is better

than what was expected. (Benilov and Zubkov 2008)

It is observed that from the Figure 8 that at 35° there is an abrupt turn in the numerical curve from the

asymptotic curve. This can be attributed to the fact that the solution has to begin from an initial condition

of zero load and as a result the system cannot reach a high load situation without passing through a low-
load one. The low load situation is however the more stable one. Once this is reached, the system stops

evolving and remains there indefinitely.

Critique and analysis

Aim: To compare the cases of drag out where an infinite plate is being retracted vertically and the other

case where the same plate is being withdrawn at an angle with the inclusion of the capillary effects.

It should be noted that Deraguin (1945) assumed the plate to motionless and the level of the liquid to be

dropping at a constant speed. Benilov and Zubkov (2008) and Bo Jin et al (2005) make use of a time

dependant frame to obtain the value of the load. The drag-out problem of a plate under vertical conditions

and thus determination of the asymptotic film thickness is computed as a function of capillary no. under

creeping flow conditions. The characteristic length scale chosen is (l=µU/ρg) ½ unlike Deraguin (1945)

where the length scale is found to be (l=µU/ρgsin α) 1/2 it can be shown that the parameters can be grouped

into two independent dimensionless groups (a) Capillary number Ca= µU/σ, (b) Reynolds’s number

Re=ρUl/µ and (c) m= (ρσ3/µ4g) 1/2 which is a dimensionless parameter containing fluid properties. The

load was found to be q=ho-⅓h3o. This analysis revealed that at small Ca, q=0.946Ca1/6-0.389Ca1/2. There is

some uncertainty regarding the corresponding value of q as Ca→infinity. Deraguin (1945) proposed that

the load q should reach ⅔ of its maximum value. From the experiments however this proof is found to be

questionable, qmax=0.582. This result is attributed to the flow field around the stagnation point and it is

dominated by only viscous forces and gravitational forces with the effects of interfacial tension being

completely negligible everywhere in the limit Ca tends to infinity (or σ→0). Thus the introduction of the

interfacial tension and inertia gives rise to the formation of steady wavy patterns on the air-liquid

interface and accounts to the variation in the load from the conjectured value.

Similarly, for plates that are inclined, it must be noted that the plates are inclined differently than that of

the original setting used by Deraguin hence the length scale varies from the original equation (1.1) by a

cosine factor instead of a sine factor. By using the routine non-dimensionalization of the Stokes’ equation

to obtain boundary conditions that are exclusively independent of α. It was observed that as α decreased,
it was seemingly difficult to obtain a convergent solution for appropriate values of Ca. It was found that

the load increased monotonically with Ca. With Re=0, it is predicted that for small slopes the Deraguin’s

equation is valid and the load is found to approach ⅔ but it increases for α>45°. (Bo Jin et al. 2005)

In the original paper [1] αcritical=35° however in the other paper [2] the value of αcritical=45° there is about a 10°

difference between the two values. This is owing to the fact that (Benilov and Zubkov, 2008) neglect the

interfacial tension and inertia, but in the paper by (Bo Jin et al, 2005) interfacial tension and capillary

effects are included.

Conclusion: This analysis is crucial from an industrial point of view. There are several unanswered

questions in the paper. Benilov and Zubkov (2008) fail to discuss cases where the Reynolds no. is not in

the Creeping flow regime. The application of Lubrication analysis and boundary layer cannot be applied

unless the Re→0. The range the steady state load 1≤ho≤√2 is questionable. Since simulation and computer

parameters are a direct consequence of the input variables, it is unclear how and why the chosen

parameters satisfy the equation.

The paper is a laborious attempt to solve Deraguin’s equation and is quite a successful one, although there

are several unanswered questions. The paper as a whole has catered to a special case which can be

incorporated on an industrial level. Also the range of error 10-3 determined in this region is remarkably

low and thus proves to be a success.

References

1. Benilov, E.S., and Zubkov V.S. 2008. On the drag-out problem in liquid film theory. J Fluid
Mech. (2008). vol. 617. pg/s 283-289.
2. Jin Bo and Archivos Andreas. 2005. The drag out in film coating. Physics of fluids (2005). vol 17
103603
3. Deraguin B., 1945. On the thickness of the liquid film adhering to the walls of the vessel after
emptying. Acta Physicochem, USSR. Vol XX, No 3