Molecular dynamics simulation of the microregion

As evaporation occurs in microchannels, most heat transfer takes place in the region where the evaporation meniscus is in contact with the channel wall. This microregion has been studied before, using continuum methods. Experimental results have shown the existence of this microregion but its internal structure can not be verified experimentally, because of the small scales. Since the Molecular Dynamics technique is able to simulate on this small length scale, it is used to simulate the microregion. Argon is used as a fluid, and the wall is made of calcium. Both models are connected by the dispersion constant, which is determined to be ±5·10^(-20) J. The results show that, although the interface temperature differs from the continuum prediction, the results of the liquid profile and the heat transfer through the wall agree with the predictions from the continuum model. If the evaporation coefficient is chosen smaller than unity, the results of the continuum method give a closer agreement to the Molecular Dynamics results.