Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026
08:45
Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions
Published on: April 5, 2022
Liquid flow focused by a gas: jetting, dripping, and recirculation
Miguel A Herrada1, Alfonso M Gañán-Calvo, Antonio Ojeda-Monge
1ESI, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos, s/n 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|October 15, 2008
Summary
Researchers explored the cone-jet mode in fluid dynamics using numerical simulations. They found a recirculating flow pattern within the meniscus precedes the transition from jetting to dripping droplet generation.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Droplet Generation
Background:
- The cone-jet mode is crucial for droplet generation, with applications relying on jet breakup into either jetting or dripping regimes.
- Understanding the transition between these regimes is vital for controlling droplet formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cone-jet flow pattern and its evolution near the jetting-dripping transition.
- To elucidate the role of internal flow dynamics in droplet generation regimes.
Main Methods:
- Axisymmetric Volume of Fluid (VOF) numerical simulations were employed to model the cone-jet flow.
- The study analyzed the flow evolution as liquid flow rate was systematically increased.
Main Results:
- A strong recirculating flow pattern was identified within the conical meniscus.
- This recirculation was found to be a precursor to the onset of the dripping regime.
- The recirculation cell was observed to penetrate the feed tube near the jetting-dripping transition.
Conclusions:
- The internal recirculation pattern significantly influences the stability of the cone-jet flow.
- A theoretical model accurately predicts jet diameter and recirculation cell size.
- Numerical simulations closely match experimental observations of the jetting-dripping transition.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Free Jet
Free jets describe the flow of liquid exiting a reservoir through an opening into the atmosphere without resistance. The velocity (v) of the liquid jet is derived using Bernoulli's principle and expressed as:
01:23Steady, Laminar Flow in Circular Tubes
Hagen-Poiseuille flow describes a viscous fluid's steady, incompressible flow through a cylindrical tube with a constant radius R. This flow profile is often applied to understand fluid transport in narrow channels, such as capillaries. It serves as a foundational example of laminar flow. In this model, cylindrical coordinates (r,θ,z) are used to describe the radial (r), angular (θ), and axial (z) dimensions within the tube. For Hagen-Poiseuille flow, the velocity profile is purely axial,...
01:27Laminar Flow
Laminar flow represents a smooth, orderly fluid motion where particles move along parallel paths, resulting in minimal mixing between layers. Streamlined particle paths characterize this flow regime and occur under conditions where viscous forces dominate over inertial forces. The distinction between laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow is primarily determined by the Reynolds number, a dimensionless quantity calculated as:
01:07Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Fluid dynamics is the study of fluids in motion. Velocity vectors are often used to illustrate fluid motion in applications like meteorology. For example, wind—the fluid motion of air in the atmosphere—can be represented by vectors indicating the speed and direction of the wind at any given point on a map. Another method for representing fluid motion is a streamline. A streamline represents the path of a small volume of fluid as it flows. When the flow pattern changes with time, the streamlines...
01:27Steady Flow of a Fluid Stream
Consider a control volume, such as a pipe with solid boundaries, through which fluid flows and changes direction due to the impulse exerted by the resulting force from the pipe walls. In steady flow, the mass of fluid entering the control volume at a given time, t, with velocity v1, is equal to the mass leaving after infinitesimal time dt, with velocity v2.
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...
01:25Design Example: Flow of Oil Through Circular Pipes
Understanding fluid flow behavior through pipes is critical in fluid mechanics, especially in applications like oil transportation through pipelines. Hagen-Poiseuille's law provides an exact solution derived from the Navier-Stokes equations for steady, incompressible, and laminar flow within a circular pipe. Hagen-Poiseuille's law helps determine the necessary pressure drop across a pipeline section by determining parameters like pipe length, radius, oil viscosity, and the desired volumetric...