Experimental investigation of the active compensation of the electric charge of a body in a flow with ions and charged drops

Results of experimental investigation of the problem of active control of the charge acquired by a body (sphere) in flow with an electrically charged component (ions) and electrically charged dispersed phase (water drops) are obtained and analyzed. This situation is not uncommon during aircraft flight in a cloud front. Previous experimental studies have mainly considered flows without a dispersed phase. The required flow was created by introducing in a turbulent air-steam jet a corona discharge on whose ions “electric” condensation developed and on the growing drops that arose a charge was accumulated due to diffusion processes and directional ion motion in the electric field. On the sphere which was introduced in the charged jet a discharger (active compensator) with an autonomous high-voltage power source creating a potential difference between the discharger corona needle insulated from the body and the body surface was mounted. Measurements of the size and concentration of the drops ahead of the critical point of the sphere were performed. The electric currents to elements of the experimental electric system and the floating potential of the body were measured for various corona charge parameters and various voltages on the active compensator. An active control of the sphere charge, its complete removal and the recharge of the sphere, is realized.     

Air-steam mixture flow with condensation on ions and electrokinetic processes

A physical model of air-steam flow with homogeneous condensation, condensation on ions, mass exchange between droplets and surrounding medium, and charge exchange between droplets and ion component is presented. A kinetic equation for the droplet distribution over sizes and charges is used in the model. On the basis of this equation, the moment equations are obtained and various approximate ways of closing them are proposed. The electric self-fields produced by the ion component and the charged dispersed phase are taken into account. Modifications of the equations for the case of turbulent flow are given. A one-dimensional flow model taking into account certain special features of the condensation and electrophysical processes in real flows is realized numerically.Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 67–77, January–February, 1996.     

Investigation of Different Condensation Regimes in Isobaric Turbulent Air-Steam Jets

Condensation in axisymmetric turbulent air-steam jets is studied theoretically and experimentally under bench experiment conditions in which a hot mist jet is injected from a nozzle into air. On the basis of the physico-mathematical model developed, four problems are considered: homogeneous condensation in the jet at a fairly low ambient air temperature, heterogeneous condensation on particles introduced into the jet at the nozzle outlet, heterogeneous condensation on particles ejected into the jet from the surrounding space, and condensation on ions entering the jet from a corona point on the flow axis. The local characteristics of the dispersed phase (mean particle size, standard deviation of the particle size, particle number and volume concentrations) and its integral characteristics (coefficient of vapor conversion into condensed phase and the optical thickness of the jet in different sections) are determined. The calculation results are compared with experimental data. As an application of the model developed, the characteristics of heterogeneous condensation in the jets of certain modern aircraft engines (IL-96-300, Tu-204, MiG-29, Boeing-707) are found on the assumption that the condensation occurs on particles entering the jet at the nozzle outlet and the particle growth rate in all stages (including the initial stage of particle irrigation) coincides with the growth rate of liquid drops.     

A multiphysics model for charged liquid droplet breakup in electric fields

A computational multiphysics model for simulating the formation and breakup of droplets from axisymmetric charged liquid jets in electric fields is developed. A fully-coupled approach is used to combine two-phase flow, electrostatics, and transport of charged species via diffusion, convection, and migration. A conservative level-set method is shown to be robust and efficient for interface tracking. Parametric simulations are performed across a range of fluid properties corresponding to commonly used liquids in inkjet printing and spray applications to examine their role in jet evolution and droplet formation. Specifically, the effects of electric potential drop, surface tension, viscosity, and mobility are investigated. Droplet velocity and size distributions are calculated, and the corresponding mean values are found to increase and decrease respectively with increasing electric field strength. The variations in droplet velocity and size are quantified, and droplet size and charge levels agree well with experimental values. Increasing mobility of charged species is found to enhance jet velocity and accelerate droplet formation by shifting charge from the liquid interior to the interface.     

Jet and drops formation in electrohydrodynamic spraying of liquids. A systematic approach

 The surface of the liquid issuing from a capillary subjected to the electric stresses deforms to an elongated jet which disrupts to a series of droplets. In the paper the detailed experimental studies of jet and drop formation from liquid issuing from a capillary maintained at high voltage of positive or negative polarity have been reported. The forms of the jet and the way it disrupts into droplets have been classified into the modes of spraying. A definition of the mode of spraying and the criteria for the mode classification, based on the geometrical form of the meniscus, jet or drop formation are given. Received: 16 September 1997/Accepted: 15 November 1998     

Flow of oil–water emulsions through a constricted capillary

The flow of oil-in-water emulsions through quartz micro-capillary tubes was analyzed experimentally. The capillaries were used as models of connecting pore-throats between adjacent pore body pairs in high-permeability media. Pressure drop between the inlet and outlet ends of the capillary was recorded as a function of time, for several values of the volumetric flow rate. Several distinct emulsions were prepared using synthetic oils in deionized water, stabilized by a surfactant (Triton X-100). Two oils of different viscosity values were used to prepare the emulsions, while two distinct drop size distributions were obtained by varying the mixing procedure. The average oil drop size varied from smaller to larger than the neck radius. The results are presented in terms of the extra-pressure drop due to the presence of the dispersed phase, i.e. the difference between the measured pressure drop and the one necessary to drive the continuous phase alone at the same flow rate. For emulsions with drops smaller than the capillary throat diameter, the extra-pressure drop does not vary with capillary number and it is a function of the viscosity ratio, dispersed phase concentration and drop size distribution. For emulsions with drops larger than the constriction, the large oil drops may partially block the capillary, leading to a high extra pressure difference at low capillary numbers. Changes in the local fluid mobility by means of pore-throat blockage may help to explain the additional oil recovery observed in laboratory experiments and the sparse data on field trials.     

On the interaction forces between evaporating drops in charged liquid-drop systems

The pairwise hydrodynamic and electrostatic interaction between micrometer-sized water droplets at small distances between them due to their evaporation and the presence of an electric charge on at least one of them is considered. The velocities of the steady-state motion of charged water drops with radii of 1 and 10 μm evaporating in air are calculated. It is shown that at small distances between the drops the joint action of hydrodynamic attraction and polarization interaction, always of attraction type, favor the coalescence of the drops (or drops and solid particles), leading to the displacement of the maximum of the function of drop distribution over size to the region of greater sizes and the gravity sedimentation of large drops. At large distances between the drops, when the short-distance hydrodynamic and polarization attractive forces become smaller than the long-distance Coulomb repulsion forces between likely charged particles, this distance tends to increase. These phenomena give a microphysical explanation to the phenomenon of electrostatic blooming in optically dense smokes and mists.     

Investigation of turbulent vapor-air jets in the presence of condensation and the injection of foreign particles

A study is made of flow in turbulent jets when there is condensation of the water vapor contained in them. A necessary condition for condensation in vapor-air jets is formulated. Relations are obtained for the regime of equilibrium condensation. An experimental investigation was made of the local characteristics of an isobaric turbulent vapor jet exhausting into air at rest when condensation develops in the jet and foreign condensation nuclei (smoke particles) and charged particles (ions produced in a corona discharge) are introduced into the flow. Measurements were made of the local characteristics of the condensed disperse phase — the Sauter diameter d₃₂ of the drops and their volume concentration c_s — using the optical method of an integrating diaphragm. It is shown that d₃₂ and₃₂ c_s increase downstream in the main section of the jet. Specific features of temperature measurements using an end-type microthermocouple were established. Quantitative data were obtained about the influence on the condensation of the thermal conditions and the presence of the foreign particles. The conditions under which there is an intensification of the condensation in vapor-air jets in the presence of ions were determined.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 53–61, May–June, 1984.     

Stability of a volumetrically charged dielectric fluid jet accelerated in an electric field collinear to the jet

In the approximation linear in the amplitude of capillary waves (generally nonaxisymmetric) on the surface of a volumetrically charged dielectric fluid jet accelerated in an external electrostatic field collinear to the jet axis, a dispersion equation is derived and analyzed. It is shown that for certain values of physical parameters the effect of the external electric field stabilizing the capillary waves and the destabilizing effect of the capillary forces and the electrostatic forces exerted by the jet charge may compensate one another for both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric, with a high degree of asymmetry, waves. The instability of flexural waves cannot be suppressed completely and can be realized for sufficiently small wave numbers.     

An experimental study of two-phase flow in simulated reduced-gravity condition: dispersed droplet to slug flow transition and slug flow

The results from an experimental study of reduced-gravity two-phase flows are reported in this paper. The experiments were conducted in simulated reduced-gravity conditions in a ground-based test facility with a circular test section of 25 mm inner diameter. The flow conditions for which data were acquired lie in the dispersed droplet to slug flow transition and slug flow regime. Local data were acquired for 17 different flow conditions at three axial locations. The acquired data complement and extend those discussed in an earlier paper by the authors (Vasavada et al. in, Exp Fluids 43: 53–75, 2007). The radial profiles and axial changes in the local data are analyzed and discussed in this paper. The area-averaged data, in conjunction with the local data, are discussed to highlight important interaction mechanisms occurring between fluid particles, i.e., drops. The data clearly show the effect of progressive coalescence leading to formation of slug drops. Furthermore, the shape of slug drops in reduced-gravity conditions was observed to be different from that in normal-gravity case. The analyses presented here show the presence of drop coalescence mechanisms that lead to the formation of slug drops and transition from dispersed droplet flow to the slug flow regime. The most likely causes of the coalescence mechanism are random collision of drops driven by turbulence eddies in the continuous phase and wake entrainment of smaller drops that follow preceding larger drops in the wake region. Data from flow conditions in which the breakup mechanism due to impact of turbulent eddies on drops illustrate the disintegration mechanism.     

Jet pinch-off and drop formation in immiscible liquid–liquid systems

The behavior of glycerin–water jets flowing into immiscible ambients of Dow Corning 200 fluid was investigated using laser induced fluorescence (LIF). Undistorted images were obtained by matching the index of refraction of the fluids. A sinusoidal perturbation was superposed on the flow to phase lock the drop formation. The forcing frequency dramatically affected the size, spacing, and number of drops that formed within a forcing cycle and the angle between drops and the jet interface just before pinch-off. Two fluid combinations were studied with similar density ratios, but viscosity ratios differing by a factor of 20. The viscosity ratio affected the jet stability as well as pinch-off angles and drop size. Received: 28 January 1999/Accepted: 20 January 2000     

Stability of a surface-charged viscous jet in an electric field

The stability of a surface-charged cylindrical jet in a longitudinal uniform electric field with respect to capillary pertubations is investigated in the linear approximation. The evolution of both axisymmetric and azimuthal-periodic perturbations is analyzed. In the latter case the first two modes among the azimuthal wavenumbers — bending and Bohr — are considered. Axisymmetric and bending instabilities lead to the transverse disintegration of the jet into individual drops and the Bohr mode to the longitudinal separation of the input jet into two parts. It is found that the axisymmetric and bending instabilities, respectively, can be completely suppressed and significantly attenuated by means of an external longitudinal field. In this case the role of the Bohr mode becomes more important leading under certain conditions to longitudinal longwave jet splitting. Events which can be interpreted as manifestations of longitudinal partition of the jet (dumbbell-like cross-section, branching nodes) are observed in experiments with evaporating polymer-solution microjets. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 29–40, March–April, 1998. The work was carried out with support from the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (project No. 97-01-00153).     

Capillary instabilities of charged drops and electrical dispersion of liquids

The phenomenology of the instability of charged and uncharged drops and liquid menisci at the end of a capillary through which liquid is fed in constant and variable external electric fields, both uniform and nonuniform, is considered. Methods of investigating such instability are described. The steady-state deformation of drops in electric fields, the critical conditions under which their charged surface loses stability, and the laws of electrical dispersion of liquids in the final stage of instability are discussed.Yaroslavl'. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.3, pp. 3–22, May–June, 1994.     

The mathematical simulation of various condensation regimes in turbulent isobaric jets

Mathematical models are considered and calculations made for flows in turbulent isobaric steam—air jets in the presence of condensation of the water vapor they contain. The models consist of gasdynamic equations for a turbulent jet, equations for a differential two-parameter model of turbulence, thermodynamic relations, and kinetic equations. A study is made of steam—air jets in a regime of condensation in equilibrium, when the flow region is broken down into zones of frozen flow and flow in equilibrium, described by the equations for a turbulent jet with the use of the traditional thermodynamic relations and of the thermodynamic relations for condensation in equilibrium. An analysis is made of the influence of pulsating motion on the kinetic parameters: rate of nucleation, the critical size of the nuclei, and rate of growth of the drops. It is shown that the rate of nucleation, determined from a quasilaminar averaging model, is several orders of magnitude less than the mean value obtained by averaging using the density distribution of the passive admixture concentration probability. A numerical study is made of the heterogeneous condensation in turbulent jets on extraneous particles entering from the nozzle. Kinetic equations are written down for the case when the rate of growth of the drops does not depend on their radius. A study is made of the dynamics of the transition of heterogeneous condensation from disequilibrium to equilibriumTranslated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 59–67, January–February, 1985.     

Electrostatic instability of the surface of a volume charged jet of dielectric liquid moving relative to the surrounding medium

The laws of implementation of electrostatic instability of the surface of a cylindrical volume charged jet of an ideal incompressible dielectric liquid moving relative to the ideal incompressible dielectric medium and the stability of bending-deformation capillary waves developed on the surface are investigated analytically. It is found that there are thresholds for the critical conditions of implementation of the instability with respect to the jet velocity relative to the medium (Weber number) and with respect to the electric space charge (relative to the ratio of the electrostatic pressure on the jet surface to the Laplace pressure). The critical analytic dependence between these dimensionless parameters is found.     

Investigation of electrogasdynamic jet behind a source of charged particles

We have investigated theoretically and experimentally a submerged jet emerging from a source of charged particles (corona-producing system). Simplest scaling laws are established for the distribution of the electric parameters in a unipolarly charged gas jet in the case of grounded and insulated sources. It is shown that the current from a grounded source and the floating potential to which an insulated system is charged depend strongly on the ambient conditions. Methods of decreasing the floating potential were investiated experimentally. The distributions of the local electric parameters in the jet were measured using a probe method. The propagation of viscous unipolarly-charged jets and the phenomenon of electric wind formation were investigated in [1, 2] and [2–5], respectively. The distinguishing features of the flows considered in the article consisted of their organization (blowing of a jet of uncharged gas over the corona-producing system), absence of walls to limit the flow, and the weak influence of electrostatic forces on the gas motion. The developed setup has made it possible to simulate the processes of accumulation of electric charge on a body as a result of the escape of a jet stream.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 3–13, September–October, 1971.In conclusion, the authors thank G. M. Bam-Zelikovich for useful discussions.     

Homogeneous condensation in turbulent submerged isobaric jets

Turbulent isobaric vapor-air jet flows with homogeneous condensation are examined. A general system of equations, including the gas dynamic and kinetic equations, the thermodynamic relations and the equations for the turbulence model, is formulated. The moment kinetic equations valid for the free-molecular regime of drop growth in the surrounding medium are extended to other drop mass transfer regimes. The structure of the condensation shock, which includes the nucleation zone and the zone of drop growth on pre-existing nuclei, is investigated on the basis of a general asymptotic approach. Additional conditions at the nucleation and condensation shocks, the need for which follows from the requirement that the shocks be evolutionary, are obtained. Certain problems of averaging of the source terms in the moment equations are discussed, and with reference to the simple example of averaging of the frozen nucleation rate it is shown that the latter is nonzero for a mean supersaturation less than unity and that the condensation zone is displaced upstream. Condensation in a turbulent jet into which condensation-intensifying charged particles (corona discharge ions) are introduced is studied. A numerical method of analyzing homogeneous condensation in turbulent jets, which makes it possible to obtain the gas dynamic and disperse flow characteristics for various temperature conditions with allowance for the averaging of the source terms, is developed.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 43–52, March–April, 1988.The authors wish to thank V. R. Kuznetsov for discussing various aspects of their work.     

An experimental and numerical study into turbulent condensing steam jets in air

 Temperatures, velocities, and droplet sizes are measured in turbulent condensing steam jets produced by a facial sauna, for varying nozzle diameters and varying initial velocities (Re=3,600–9,200). The release of latent heat due to droplet condensation causes the temperature in the two-phase jet to be significantly higher than in a single-phase jet. At some distance from the nozzle, droplets reach a maximum size and start to evaporate again, which results in a change in sign of latent heat release. The distance of maximum size is determined from droplet size measurements. The experimental results are compared with semi-analytical expressions and with a fully coupled numerical model of the turbulent condensing steam jet. The increase in centreline temperature due to droplet condensation is successfully predicted. Received: 5 April 2000 / Accepted: 15 November 2000     

Viscoelasticity in inkjet printing

We investigate the effects of viscoelasticity on drop generation in inkjet printing. In drop-on-demand printing, individual ink ‘drops’ are ejected from a nozzle by imposed pressure pulses. Upon exiting the nozzle, the shape of each ‘drop’ is that of a nearly spherical bead with a long thin trailing ligament. This ligament subsequently breaks up under the Rayleigh instability, typically into several small droplets (known as satellite drops). These satellite drops can create unwanted splash on the target substrate and a reduction in printing quality. Satellite drops can potentially be eliminated by adding polymer to the ink; elastic stresses can act to contract the trailing ligament into the main drop before capillary breakup occurs. However, elasticity can also reduce the drop velocity and can delay or even prevent the break-off of the drop from the ink reservoir within the nozzle. To achieve optimal drop shape and speed, non-Newtonian parameters such as the polymer concentration and molecular weight must be chosen correctly. We explore this parameter space via numerical simulations, using the Lagrangian–Eulerian finite-element method of Harlen et al. (J Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech 60:81–104, 1995). Results are compared with experimental observations taken from real printheads.