Demetrios T. Papageorgiou

ON THE BREAKUP OF VISCOUS LIQUID THREADS

A one-dimensional model evolution equation is used to describe the nonlinear dynamics that can lead to the breakup of a cylindrical thread of Newtonian fluid when capillary forces drive the motion. The model is derived from the Stokes equations by use of rational asymptotic expansions and under a slender jet approximation. The equations are solved numerically and the jet radius is found to vanish after a finite time yielding breakup. The slender jet approximation is valid throughout the evolution leading to pinching. The model admits self-similar pinching solutions which yield symmetric shapes at breakup. These solutions are shown to be the ones selected by the initial boundary value problem, for general initial conditions. Further more, the terminal state of the model equation is shown to be identical to that predicted by a theory which looks for singular pinching solutions directly from the Stokes equations without invoking the slender jet approximation throughout the evolution. It is shown quantitatively, therefore, that the one-dimensional model gives a consistent terminal state with the jet shape being locally symmetric at breakup. The asymptotic expansion scheme is also extended to include unsteady and inertial forces in the momentum equations to derive an evolution system modelling the breakup of Navier-Stokes jets. The model is employed in extensive simulations to compute breakup times for different initial conditions; satellite drop formation is also supported by the model and the dependence of satellite drop volumes on initial conditions is studied.

Nonlinear interfacial stability of core‐annular film flows

In this paper the weakly nonlinear stability of two‐phase core‐annular film flows in the limit of small film thickness and in the presence of both viscosity stratification and interfacial tension is examined. Rational asymptotic expansions are used to derive some novel nonlinear evolution equations for the interface between the phases. The novel feature of the equations is that they include a coupling between core and film dynamics thus enabling a study of its effect on the nonlinear evolution of the interface. The nonlinear interfacial evolution is governed by modified Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equations in the cases of slow and moderate flow [the former also developed by Frenkel, Sixth Symposium on Energy Engineering Sciences (Argonne Lab. Pub. CONF‐8805106, 1988), p.100, using different asymptotic methods], which include new nonlocal terms that reflect core dynamics. These equations are solved numerically for given initial conditions and a range of parameters. Some interesting behavior results, such as tran...

Analytical description of the breakup of liquid jets

Abstract : A viscous or inviscid cylindrical jet with surface tension on in a vacuum tends to pinch due to the mechanism of capillary instability. We construct similarity solutions which describe this phenomenon as a critical time is encountered, for two physically distinct cases: (1) Inviscid jets governed by the Euler equations, (2) highly viscous jets governed by the Stokes equations. In both cases the only assumption imposed is that at the time of pinching the jet shape has a radial length scale which is smaller than the axial length scale. For the inviscid case, we show that our solution corresponds exactly to one member of the one-parameter family of solutions obtained from slender jet theories and the shape of the jet is locally concave at breakup. For highly viscous jets our theory predicts local shapes which are monotonic increasing or decreasing indicating the formation of a mother drop connected to the jet by a thin fluid tube. This qualitative behavior is in complete agreement with both direct numerical simulations and experimental observations.

Pinchoff and satellite formation in surfactant covered viscous threads

The breakup of viscous liquid threads covered with insoluble surfactant is investigated here; partial differential equations governing the spatio-temporal evolution of the interface and surfactant concentrations are derived in the long wavelength approximation. These one-dimensional equations are solved numerically for various values of initial surfactant concentration, surfactant activity and the Schmidt number (a measure of the importance of momentum, i.e., kinematic viscosity, to surfactant diffusion). The presence of surfactant at the air–liquid interface gives rise to surface tension gradients and, in turn, to Marangoni stresses, that drastically affect the transient dynamics leading to jet breakup and satellite formation. Specifically, the size of the satellite formed during breakup decreases with increasing initial surfactant concentration and surfactant activity. The usual self-similar breakup dynamics found in the vicinity of the pinchoff location for jets without surfactant [Eggers, Phys. Rev. L...

Wave evolution on electrified falling films

The nonlinear stability of falling film flow down an inclined flat plane is investigated when an electric field acts normal to the plane. A systematic asymptotic expansion is used to derive a fully nonlinear long-wave model equation for the scaled interface, where higher-order terms must be retained to make the long-wave approximation valid for long times. The effect of the electric field is to introduce a non-local term which comes from the potential region above the liquid film. This term is always linearly destabilizing and produces growth rates proportional to the cubic power of the wavenumber - surface tension is included and provides a short wavelength cutoff. Even in the absence of an electric field, the fully nonlinear equation can produce singular solutions after a finite time. This difficulty is avoided at smaller amplitudes where the weakly nonlinear evolution is governed by an extension of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. This equation has solutions which exist for all time and allows for a complete study of the nonlinear behaviour of competing physical mechanisms: long-wave instability above a critical Reynolds number, short-wave damping due to surface tension and intermediate growth due to the electric field. Through a combination of analysis and extensive numerical experiments, we find parameter ranges that support non-uniform travelling waves, time-periodic travelling waves and complex nonlinear dynamics including chaotic interfacial oscillations. It is established that a sufficiently high electric field will drive the system to chaotic oscillations, even when the Reynolds number is smaller than the critical value below which the non-electrified problem is linearly stable. A particular case of this is Stokes flow.

Linear stability of a two-fluid interface for electrohydrodynamic mixing in a channel

We study the electrohydrodynamic stability of the interface between two superposed viscous fluids in a channel subjected to a normal electric field. The two fluids can have different densities, viscosities, permittivities and conductivities. The interface allows surface charges, and there exists an electrical tangential shear stress at the interface owing to the finite conductivities of the two fluids. The long-wave linear stability analysis is performed within the generic Orr–Sommerfeld framework for both perfect and leaky dielectrics. In the framework of the long-wave linear stability analysis, the wave speed is expressed in terms of the ratio of viscosities, densities, permittivities and conductivities of the two fluids. For perfect dielectrics, the electric field always has a destabilizing effect, whereas for leaky dielectrics, the electric field can have either a destabilizing or a stabilizing effect depending on the ratios of permittivities and conductivities of the two fluids. In addition, the linear stability analysis for all wavenumbers is carried out numerically using the Chebyshev spectral method, and the various types of neutral stability curves (NSC) obtained are discussed.

Electrified viscous thin film flow over topography

The gravity-driven flow of a liquid film down an inclined wall with periodic indentations in the presence of a normal electric field is investigated. The film is assumed to be a perfect conductor, and the bounding region of air above the film is taken to be a perfect dielectric. In particular, the interaction between the electric field and the topography is examined by predicting the shape of the film surface under steady conditions. A nonlinear, non-local evolution equation for the thickness of the liquid film is derived using a long-wave asymptotic analysis. Steady solutions are computed for flow into a rectangular trench and over a rectangular mound, whose shapes are approximated with smooth functions. The limiting behaviour of the film profile as the steepness of the wall geometry is increased is discussed. Using substantial numerical evidence, it is established that as the topography steepness increases towards rectangular steps, trenches, or mounds, the interfacial slope remains bounded, and the film does not touch the wall. In the absence of an electric field, the film develops a capillary ridge above a downward step and a slight depression in front of an upward step. It is demonstrated how an electric field may be used to completely eliminate the capillary ridge at a downward step. In contrast, imposing an electric field leads to the creation of a free-surface ridge at an upward step. The effect of the electric field on film flow into relatively narrow trenches, over relatively narrow mounds, and down slightly inclined substrates is also considered.

Large-amplitude capillary waves in electrified fluid sheets

Large-amplitude capillary waves on fluid sheets are computed in the presence of a uniform electric field acting in a direction parallel to the undisturbed configuration. The fluid is taken to be inviscid, incompressible and non-conducting. Travelling waves of arbitrary amplitudes and wavelengths are calculated and the effect of the electric field is studied. The solutions found generalize the exact symmetric solutions of Kinnersley (1976) to include electric fields, for which no exact solutions have been found. Long-wave nonlinear waves are also constructed using asymptotic methods. The asymptotic solutions are compared with the full computations as the wavelength increases, and agreement is found to be excellent.

Dynamics and rupture of planar electrified liquid sheets

We investigate the stability of a thin two-dimensional liquid film when a uniform electric field is applied in a direction parallel to the initially flat bounding fluid interfaces. We consider the distinct physical effects of surface tension and electrically induced forces for an inviscid, incompressible nonconducting fluid. The film is assumed to be thin enough and the surface forces large enough that gravity can be ignored to leading order. Our aim is to analyze the nonlinear stability of the flow. We achieve this by deriving a set of nonlinear evolution equations for the local film thickness and local horizontal velocity. The equations are valid for waves which are long compared to the average film thickness and for symmetrical interfacial perturbations. The electric field effects enter nonlocally and the resulting system contains a combination of terms which are reminiscent of the Kortweg–de-Vries and the Benjamin–Ono equations. Periodic traveling waves are calculated and their behavior studied as the...

Temporal instability of compound threads and jets

Compound threads and jets consist of a core liquid surrounded by an annulus of a second immiscible liquid. Capillary forces derived from axisymmetric disturbances in the circumferential curvatures of the two interfaces destabilize cylindrical base states of compound threads and jets (with inner and outer radii R 1 and aR 1 respectively). The capillary instability causes breakup into drops; the presence of the annular phase allows both the annular- and core-phase properties to influence the drop size. Of technological interest is breakup where the core snaps first, and then the annulus. This results in compound drops. With jets, this pattern can form composite particles, or if the annular fluid is evaporatively removed, single drops whose size is modulated by both fluids. This paper is a study of the linear temporal instability of compound threads and jets to understand how annular fluid properties control drop size in jet breakup, and to determine conditions which favour compound drop formation. The temporal dispersion equation is solved numerically for non-dimensional annular thicknesses a of order one, and analytically for thin annuli ( a – 1 = e [Lt ] 1) by asymptotic expansion in e. There are two temporally growing modes: a stretching mode, unstable for wavelengths greater than the undisturbed inner circumference 2π R 1 , in which the two interfaces grow in phase; and a squeezing mode, unstable for wavelengths greater than 2π aR 1 , which grows exactly out of phase. Growth rates are always real, indicating that in jetting configurations disturbances convect downstream with the base velocity. For order-one thicknesses, the growth rate of the stretching mode is higher for the entire range of system parameters examined. The drop size scales with the wavenumber of the maximally growing wave ( k max ). We find that for the dominant stretching mode and a = 2, variations from 0.1 to 10 in the ratios of the annulus to core viscosity, or the tension of the outer surface to that of the inner interface, can result in changes in k max by a factor of approximately 2. However, for these changes in the system ratios, the growth rate ( s max ) and the ratio of the amplitude of the outer to the inner interface ( A max ) for the fastest growing wave only change marginally, with A max near one. The system appears most sensitive to the ratio of the density of the annulus to the core fluid. For a variation between 0.1 and 10, k max again changes by a factor of 2, but A max and s max vary more significantly with large amplitude ratios for low density ratios. The amplitude ratio of the stretching mode at the maximally growing wave ( A max ) indicates whether the film or core will break first. When this ratio is near one, linear theory predicts that the core breaks with the annulus intact, forming compound drops. Except for low values of the density ratio, our results indicate that most system conditions promote compound drop formation. For thin annuli, the growth rate disparity between modes becomes even greater. In the limit e → 0, the squeezing growth rate is roughly proportional to e 2 while the stretching mode growth rate is roughly proportional to e 0 and asymptotes to a single jet with radius R 1 and tension equal to the sum of the two tensions. Thus, in this limit the growth rate and k max are independent of the film density and viscosity. The amplitude ratio of the stretching mode becomes equal to one for all wavenumbers; so thin films break as compound drops. Our results compare favourably with previously published measurements on unstable waves in compound jets.