Deformation and breakup of a single slender drop in an extensional flow

Abstract

The deformation and conditions for breakup of a single slender drop placed symmetrically in a uniaxial extensional flow are examined theoretically. For the case of an inviscid drop in zero-Reynolds-number flow, Buckmaster (1972) showed, using slender-body analysis, that the shape of the drop is given byr≡εR(z)=ε(1−|z|ν)/2ν, where εεγ/Gμland γ is the interfacial tension,Gthe strength of the extensional flow, μ the viscosity of the suspending fluid andlthe drop half-length; alsov= ½P− 1, wherePis the unknown constant pressure inside the drop rendered dimensionless with respect toGμ. By requiring thatRbe analytic atz= 0, Buckmaster then concluded thatvhad to be an even integer and thereby obtained a countably infinite set of slender profiles for any (large) value of the flow strengthG. In the present work, the expression forR(z)shown above is obtained readily using the method of inner and outer expansions, the method failing when |z|[les ]O(ε) and ν is not an even integer. Thus, in general, a new solution is needed to describe the shape within the ‘singular’ region |z|[les ]O(ε). The requirement that the two solutions match in their domain of overlap then leads to the conclusion thatvcan be either equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 3. However, a stability analysis reveals that only the solution withv= 2 is stable, and hence a unique shape exists.Next, drops of low viscosity μi=O(ε2μ) are examined in zero-Reynolds-number flow. Here, again, a unique solution is obtained according to which a steady shape cannot exist if (Gμa/γ) (μi/μ)⅙> 0·148, where$a \equiv(3V4\pi)^{\frac{1}{3}}$andVis the volume of the drop. This breakup criterion is identical to that found by Taylor (1964). A similar analysis for the case of an inviscid drop in a flow with non-zero Reynolds number shows that drop breakup will occur if$(G\mu a/\gamma) (\rho a\gamma/\mu^2)^{\frac{1}{5}} > 0.284$, where ρ is the density of the suspending fluid. Finally, when μi=O(ε2μ) and inertial effects are neglected within the drop but retained in the surrounding fluid, the critical value of$(G\mu a/\gamma) (\rho a\gamma/\mu^2)^{\frac{1}{5}}$required for drop breakup is found as a function of the dimensionless group\[ (\rho a\gamma/\mu^2)^{\frac{1}{5}}(\mu/\mu_i)^{\frac{1}{6}}, \]which depends only on the physical properties of the system and the size of the drop. These last two results are the first which take into account inertial effects in determining the deformation and breakup conditions of a drop placed in a shear field.

Sink Flow Deforms the Interface Between a Viscous Liquid and Air into a Tip Singularity

“…This differs markedly from both theory [23] and experiment [24] with drops of small viscosity in strong flows, which develop tips which are locally similar, but which remain stable well into the singular regime. We thus expected the disappearance of the tip [8] to be related to the far-field boundary condition, which is a flat interface for viscous withdrawal, but a curved interface for drops.…”

“…We now turn to the interface shape for h < h ⋆ , for which the tip is singular, and the profile meets the tip with a finite slope R ′ (h). As the hole is approached, the slope becomes small, suggesting the use of slenderbody theory [21,22,23]. In this limit, the perturbation of the axial flow by the interface is small, so it can be represented as a line distribution of 2D sources [23].…”

“…As the hole is approached, the slope becomes small, suggesting the use of slenderbody theory [21,22,23]. In this limit, the perturbation of the axial flow by the interface is small, so it can be represented as a line distribution of 2D sources [23]. For the slope of the interface at the tip we thus find…”

Liquid interfaces in viscous straining flows: numerical studies of the selective withdrawal transition

“…When the drop is far less viscous than the surrounding liquid, the steady-state shape approaches a cusp shape as the burst transition is approached from below. In particular, the radius of curvature at the two, elongated ends of the liquid drop is cut-off on an exponentially small lengthscale (Acrivos & Lo (1978)). …”

A slender-body theory for low-viscosity drops in shear flow between parallel walls

“…Slender-body theories have been developed to describe the dynamics and breakup of drops in the asymptotic limit → 0. [9][10][11][12][13] In this paper, we develop a slender-body theory for a low-viscosity drop confined between two planar boundaries in the shear flow generated by the tangential motion of these boundaries.…”