Modeling the evaporation from a thin liquid surface beneath a turbulent boundary layer

The present study considers the evaporation of a non-buoyant contaminant from a liquid surface beneath a turbulent boundary layer. The analysis is based on near-surface asymptotics of turbulence velocity and scalar fluctuations. The objective of the study is to analytically derive an algebraic evaporation model sensitized to boundary layer turbulence. The dependence on the friction velocity is shown to be naturally included in the analysis and does not depend on any a priori assumption of the existence of an equilibrium logarithmic boundary layer region. The model is validated using recent experimental wind-tunnel data.

► Evaporation of a non-buoyant contaminant from a liquid surface beneath a turbulent boundary layer. ► The analysis is based on near-surface asymptotics of turbulence velocity and scalar fluctuations. ► The dependence of the friction velocity is naturally included in the derivation.