Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface
Published on: June 8, 2015
Effect of ambient pressure on Leidenfrost temperature
Daniel Orejon1, Khellil Sefiane2, Yasuyuki Takata3
1International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Thermofluid Physics Laboratory, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan and School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
The accurate prediction and control of the interaction of liquids with hot surfaces is paramount in numerous areas, including cooling applications. We present results illustrating the effect of ambient pressure on the temperature required for a droplet to levitate over a hot surface, i.e., the Leidenfrost temperature. In the present study the dependence of wetting and levitating temperatures on ambient pressure in a range of subatmospheric pressures is reported. Experimental data indicate that the Leidenfrost temperature decreases with decreasing pressure at subatmospheric pressures. A physical approach for the dependence of Leidenfrost temperature on ambient pressure, based on an analogy with saturation pressure dependence, is proposed. Furthermore, previous literature data for pressures above atmospheric are also included in the analysis to support and validate the proposed approach. In addition, the effect of substrate material, substrate roughness, and type of fluid on the Leidenfrost temperature is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Variation of Atmospheric Pressure
Assuming the air temperature is constant at a given altitude and that the ideal gas law of thermodynamics describes the atmosphere to a good approximation, one can find the variation of atmospheric pressure with height.
Let p(y) be the atmospheric pressure at...
Clausius-Clapeyron Equation
Le Chatelier's Principle: Changing Volume (Pressure)
Real Gases: Effects of Intermolecular Forces and Molecular Volume Deriving Van der Waals Equation
Pressure Variation in a Fluid at Rest
When measuring pressure at two different levels within the fluid, the difference in...
Pressure and Volume in an Adiabatic Process

