Research update: How to tame hammering droplets
Editor's note: 'Research update' focuses on new advances related to previously reported work. This story follows up on research from Dec. 2010.People living in older buildings often hear pounding noises in their plumbing or radiator pipes — it’s a well-known effect called a water hammer, which can occur when a valve is suddenly opened or closed in a pipe carrying water or steam, causing a pressure wave to travel down the pipe with enough force that it can sometimes cause the pipes to burst. Now, new research shows that a similar effect takes places on a tiny scale whenever a droplet of water strikes a surface.MIT’s Kripa Varanasi, co-author of a report on the new finding published this week in the journal Physical Review Letters, says the phenomenon could help engineers design more durable condensing surfaces, which are used in desalination plants and steam-based power plants. Other co-authors include MIT...