Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026

Film Control to Study Contributions of Waves to Droplet Impact Dynamics on Thin Flowing Liquid Films
Published on: August 18, 2018
Wavy regimes of film flow down a fiber
Christian Ruyer-Quil1, Serafim Kalliadasis
1UPMC Université Paris 06, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, Lab FAST, Bat 502, Campus Université, Orsay, France.
Abstract:
We consider axisymmetric traveling waves propagating on the gravity-driven flow of a liquid down a vertical fiber. Our starting point is the two-equation model for the flow derived in the study by Ruyer-Quil et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 603, 431 (2008)]. The speed, amplitude, and shape of the traveling waves are obtained for a wide range of parameters by using asymptotic analysis and elements from dynamical systems theory. Four different regimes are identified corresponding to the predominance of four different physical effects: advection by the flow, azimuthal curvature, inertia, and viscous dispersion. Construction of the traveling-wave branches of solutions reveals complex transitions from one regime to another. A phase diagram of the different regimes in the parameter space is constructed.
Related Concept Videos
Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Gradually Varying Flow
Uniform Depth Channel Flow
Rapidly Varying Flow
Streamlines, Streaklines, and Pathlines
Steady Flow of a Fluid Stream
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...

