Convective structures in a thin layer of an evaporating liquid under an airflow

Evolution of convective structures in a thin layer of an evaporating liquid (ethanol) located under a turbulent boundary layer of an airflow is studied experimentally and theoretically. Evolution of the structures is examined under conditions of an increased flow velocity. A transition is found from convective cells formed in the absence of the flow to convective rolls elongated in the streamwise direction. The theoretical analysis is performed within a two-dimensional model of the flow in the liquid layer. The boundary conditions on the liquid surface are obtained with the use of self-similar solutions for mean fields in the airflow. The onset and evolution of a periodic system of rolls are simulated numerically. Theoretical conclusions are compared with experimental data.