Inertial stretching separation in binary droplet collisions

Binary droplet collisions exhibit a wide range of outcomes, including coalescence and stretching separation, with a transition between these two outcomes arising for high Weber numbers and impact parameters. Our experimental study elucidates the effect of viscosity on this transition, which we show exhibits inertial (viscosity-independent) behaviour over an order-of-magnitude-wide range of Ohnesorge numbers. That is, the transition is not always shifted towards higher impact parameters by increasing droplet viscosity, as it might be thought from the existing literature. Moreover, we provide compelling experimental evidence that stretching separation only arises if the length of the coalesced droplet exceeds a critical multiple of the original droplet diameters (3.35). Using this as a criterion, we provide a simple but robust model (without any arbitrarily chosen free parameters) to predict the coalescence/stretching-separation transition.

A Numerical Investigation on the Collision Behavior of Unequal-Sized Micro-Nano Droplets

Micro-nano droplet collisions are fundamental phenomena in the applications of nanocoating, nano spray, and microfluidics. Detailed investigations of the process of the droplet collisions under higher Weber are still lacking when compared with previous research studies under a low Weber number below 120. Collision dynamics of unequal-sized micro-nano droplets are simulated by a coupled level-set and volume of fluid (CLSVOF) method with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The effects of the size ratio (from 0.25 to 0.75) and different initial collision velocities on the head-on collision process of two unequal-sized droplets at We = 210 are studied. Complex droplets will form the filament structure and break up with satellite droplets under higher Weber. The filament structure is easier to disengage from the complex droplet as the size ratio increases. The surface energy converting from kinetic energy increases with the size ratio, which promotes a better spreading effect. When two droplets keep the constant relative velocity, the motion tendency of the droplets after the collision is mainly dominated by the large droplet. On one hand, compared with binary equal-sized droplet collisions, a hole-like structure can be observed more clearly since the initial velocity of a large droplet decreases in the deformation process of binary unequal-sized droplets. On the other hand, the rim spreads outward as the initial velocity of the larger droplet increases, which leads to its thickening.

A Numerical Investigation on the Collision Behavior of Polymer Droplets

Binary droplet collisions are a key mechanism in powder coatings production, as well as in spray combustion, ink-jet printing, and other spray processes. The collision behavior of the droplets using Newtonian and polymer liquids is studied numerically by the coupled level-set and volume of fluid (CLSVOF) method and adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The deformation process, the internal flow fields, and the energy evolution of the droplets are discussed in detail. For binary polymer droplet collisions, compared with the Newtonian liquid, the maximum deformation is promoted. Due to the increased viscous dissipation, the colliding droplets coalesce more slowly. The stagnant flow region in the velocity field increases and the flow re-direction phenomenon is suppressed, so the polymer droplets coalesce permanently. As the surface tension of the polymer droplets decreases, the kinetic and the dissipated energy increases. The maximum deformation is promoted, and the coalescence speed of the droplets slows down. During the collision process, the dominant pressure inside the polymer droplets varies from positive pressure to negative pressure and then to positive pressure. At low surface tension, due to the non-synchronization in the movement of the interface front, the pressure is not smooth and distributes asymmetrically near the center of the droplets.