Numerical study of non-Newtonian droplets electrocoalescence

Abstract

In the present study, characteristics of leaky dielectric droplets in electric fields are investigated numerically. In order to validate the numerical method, deformation of a leaky dielectric droplet in an electric field is studied and the numerical results are compared to Taylor theoretical model. After that, the effects of electrical parameters such as electric permittivity, conductivity, electric field strength, and physical parameters such as initial distance and size of droplets on the electrocoalescence are examined. Moreover, behaviors of non-Newtonian droplets in the electric field are surveyed to elucidate the underlying physics. According to the results, pseudoplastic droplets have more deformations in an electric field than Newtonian and dilatant ones, and they also have faster electrocoalescence.