20.500.12556/RUL-186416 Revisiting the modelling of droplets passing through a superhydrophobic orifice Precise analytical modeling of droplet size passing through a superhydrophobic orifice is vital for various industrial and scientific applications. The very few published theoretical models rely on spherical droplet assumptions, which proved inaccurate for larger orifices due to gravity-induced droplet deformation. To address this limitation, an analytical model for quasi-static droplet size separation is presented, successfully integrating contact angle hysteresis and gravitational effects. The new model determines the critical separation diameter by analyzing the free-surface droplet profile governed by surface tension, internal liquid pressure, and hydrostatic forces across a toroidal orifice edge. Validation using existing experimental results demonstrated excellent model accuracy (R$^{2}$ = 0.9815, RMSE = 0.0566 mm) and a detailed description of droplet shape evolution. A comprehensive parametric study subsequently revealed that contact angle hysteresis and orifice height have minimal practical influence on the critical droplet volume. Conversely, varying liquid properties significantly affect the separation size. Specifically, the critical droplet volume is mainly governed by the ratio of liquid density to surface tension, which dictates the extent of gravitational deformation. This framework provides a robust theoretical tool for designing passive, gravity-driven separation devices across diverse working liquids. droplet separation superhydrophobic surface orifice droplet size force balance laser-texturing Young-Laplace equation separacija kapljic superhidrofobne površine reže velikost kapljice ravnovesje sil lasersko teksturiranje enačba Young-Laplace true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-09-01 11:21:20 2026-09-01 11:21:29 2026-09-03 04:38:04 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 15 str. iss. 17, art. 2806 Vol. 14 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno apc 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 532.21:544.722.132:621.9.048 2227-9717 10.3390/pr14172806 289577987 Berce_..._Revisiting....pdf Berce_..._Revisiting....pdf 1 A0899253D0056EE1CC2E8B5C4CC59DD8 238751ba6424294e12c5b6ce7d66287308a189909bd1efe674f9b50caa96578b 6496e62c-a5e6-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=245661 https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/14/17/2806 1 1ca1526a-a5e6-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=245660 Fakulteta za strojništvo 0 0 0