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Influence of dynamic interfacial properties on droplet breakup in plane hyperbolic flow
Author(s) -
Janssen J. J. M.,
Boon A.,
Agterof W. G. M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690430607
Subject(s) - breakup , mechanics , laminar flow , materials science , flow (mathematics) , viscoelasticity , capillary action , rotational symmetry , shear flow , simple shear , deformation (meteorology) , physics , composite material , shear stress
Droplet breakup in laminar flows is important in emulsification processes and polymer blending. The influence of surfactants on droplet deformation and breakup in a plane hyperbolic flow was studied experimentally in an opposed‐stream device. As in the case of simple shear flow, the inhomogeneity of the surfactant distribution along the droplet interface has a pronounced effect. Our results are qualitatively consistent with other numerical studies for droplet breakup in an axisymmetric elongational flow. Also a striking similarity is noted with other experimental observations for the deformation and breakup of polymeric drops in a quasi‐steady‐plane hyperbolic flow. The critical capillary number for droplet breakup in the experiments correlates with the interfacial viscoelasticity, and a reformulation of the numerical framework in terms of interfacial elasticity parameters is suggested for future numerical work including other linear flows.