Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Film Control to Study Contributions of Waves to Droplet Impact Dynamics on Thin Flowing Liquid Films
Published on: August 18, 2018
Bifurcation Dynamics of a Particle-Encapsulating Droplet in Shear Flow
Lailai Zhu1,2,3, François Gallaire1
1Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Instabilities, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland.
Abstract:
To understand the behavior of composite fluid particles such as nucleated cells and double emulsions in flow, we study a finite-size particle encapsulated in a deforming droplet under shear flow as a model system. In addition to its concentric particle-droplet configuration, we numerically explore other eccentric and time-periodic equilibrium solutions, which emerge spontaneously via supercritical pitchfork and Hopf bifurcations. We present the loci of these solutions around the codimension-two point. We adopt a dynamic system approach to model and characterize the coupled behavior of the two bifurcations. By exploring the flow fields and hydrodynamic forces in detail, we identify the role of hydrodynamic particle-droplet interaction which gives rise to these bifurcations.
Related Concept Videos
Couette Flow
Bernoulli's Equation for Flow Along a Streamline
Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Steady, Laminar Flow Between Parallel Plates
Steady, Laminar Flow in Circular Tubes
Capillarity in Fluid
Surface tension is crucial to capillarity. It results from cohesive forces between liquid molecules at the liquid-air boundary, forming a skin that resists external forces. When the capillary tube...

