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Nonspherical liquid droplet falling in air.
Meenu Agrawal1, A R Premlata2, Manoj Kumar Tripathi3
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy 502 285, Telangana, India.
Physical Review. E
|April 19, 2017
Summary
Investigating liquid droplet dynamics reveals that increasing aerodynamic inertia causes shape asymmetry. Even with high inertia, droplets maintain stable paths without deviations or oscillations.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Computational physics
Background:
- Understanding liquid droplet behavior is crucial in various scientific and engineering fields.
- The influence of gravity and air resistance on droplet dynamics is complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamics of nonspherical liquid droplets falling in air.
- To analyze the effects of inertia and surface tension on droplet shape and motion.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional numerical simulations were employed.
- Navier-Stokes and continuity equations were solved in the inertial regime.
- High surface tension was assumed to prevent droplet breakup.
Main Results:
- Low inertia resulted in decaying, vertically symmetric oscillations.
- High Gallilei numbers led to increased oscillation amplitude and prominent vertical shape asymmetry.
- Aerodynamic inertia was identified as the cause of this asymmetry.
- No path deviations or oscillations were observed even at large inertia.
Conclusions:
- Aerodynamic inertia significantly impacts liquid droplet shape during free fall.
- Droplet dynamics are characterized by decaying oscillations at low inertia and asymmetry at high inertia.
- Droplets maintain stable trajectories irrespective of inertia levels.