Abstract: It is a very complex physical process for water from supercooling to ice nucleation till freezing. Understanding the influence of the contact area between supercooled water and surface on the freezing temperature and nucleation rate is critical for engineering applications such as antiicing surface design and the supercooling preservation. However, the effect of contact area between supercooled water and surface on the nucleation is still unclear, especially when the contact area is large. The influence of the change in contact area on the freezing temperature of supercooled water in hoses is studied by changing the length of the silicone hose and the polyvinyl chloride hose. The results show that it affects the ice nucleation temperature in supercooled water obviously. A prediction model between the contact area and the supercooling degree is established based on the experimental results. Furthermore, the area term in the classical nucleation theory (CNT) is modified through experimental results and theoretical analyses. It is found that the influence of the contact area on nucleation rate is nonlinear according to the modified CNT equation, not linear as is currently understood. The method and the model presented in this paper lay a foundation for the efficient utilization of supercooled water in engineering and the further investigation on the influence of the contact area change on the nucleation.

Key words: Supercooled water, Heterogenousice nucleation, Contact area, Prediction of nucleation, Modified model