Dynamics of Drop Formation in an Electric Field

The effect of an electric field on the formation of a drop of an inviscid, perfectly conducting liquid from a capillary which protrudes from the top plate of a parallel-plate capacitor into a surrounding dynamically inactive, insulating gas is studied computationally. This free boundary problem which is comprised of the surface Bernoulli equation for the transient drop shape and the Laplace equation for the velocity potential inside the drop and the electrostatic potential outside the drop is solved by a method of lines incorporating the finite element method for spatial discretization. The finite element algorithm employed relies on judicious use of remeshing and element addition to a two-region adaptive mesh to accommodate large domain deformations, and allows the computations to proceed until the thickness of the neck connecting an about to form drop to the rest of the liquid in the capillary is less than 0.1% of the capillary radius. The accuracy of the computations is demonstrated by showing that in the absence of an electric field predictions made with the new algorithm are in excellent agreement with boundary integral calculations (Schulkes, R. M. S. M. J. Fluid Mech. 278, 83 (1994)) and experimental measurements on water drops (Zhang, X., and Basaran, O. A. Phys. Fluids 7(6), 1184 (1995)). In the presence of an electric field, the algorithm predicts that as the strength of the applied field increases, the mode of drop formation changes from simple dripping to jetting to so-called microdripping, in accordance with experimental observations (Cloupeau, M., and Prunet-Foch, B. J. Aerosol Sci. 25(6), 1021 (1994); Zhang, X., and Basaran, O. A. J. Fluid Mech. 326, 239 (1996)). Computational predictions of the primary drop volume and drop length at breakup are reported over a wide range of values of the ratios of electrical, gravitational, and inertial forces to surface tension force. In contrast to previously mentioned cases where both the flow rate in the tube and the electric field strength are nonzero, situations are also considered in which the flow rate is zero and the dynamics are initiated by impulsively changing the field strength from a certain value to a larger value. When the magnitude of the step change in field strength is small, the results of the new transient calculations accord well with those of an earlier stability analysis (Basaran, O. A., and Scriven, L. E. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 140(1), 10 (1990)) and thereby provide yet another testament to the accuracy of the new algorithm. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

匀强电场中基态惰性原子的边界轮廓

应用原子特征边界轮廓模型, 计算了在5.292×10^-5 - 5.292×10^-3 a.u. 匀强电场下, 基态惰性原子的边界轮廓. 计算结果表明, 在电场中原子的边界轮廓呈现近椭球形, 轮廓的变化随电场强度的增强而增大; 在电场强度不变的情况下, 原子边界轮廓的变化随原子序数的增加而增大. 并且计算中得到的单位强度原子平均径向变化率与原子极化率实验结果呈现很好的线性相关性.     

Investigation of Micro-Perspective Coalescence Behavior of Dispersed Phase Droplets in Uniform Electric Field

COMSOL simulation based on the Cahn–Hilliard formulation and the experimental method have been adopted to predict the coalescence behavior of water droplets in uniform electric field. The results reveal that coalescence of droplets consists of the drainage process and the contact process. The coalescence mechanism of micro-droplets has been established. COMSOL simulation together with the experiment concludes that the viscosity and coalescence time are roughly in line with the trend, and an optimal electric field strength can obtain the most efficient coalescence time     

脉冲电场O/W乳状液破乳的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学方法研究了水包油(O/W)型乳状液体系中重油油滴在脉冲电场中的聚集行为.通过改变电场占空比的模拟参数,探讨了一定电场强度下的油滴聚集行为,以及电场破乳时电场强度参数与占空比参数之间的联系.同时利用静电势分布、相互作用势能以及结合构象统计等分析方法,从微观角度说明在电场作用下油滴的电荷分布与聚集机制.模拟结果表明,在近0.40～0.75 V/nm范围内电场强度下,距离一定的重油滴聚集,低电场强度可通过增加占空比促使油滴聚集,且占空比随电场强度的增大而减小;油滴在电场中发生形变,油滴电荷出现两极化分布,带负电沥青质分子引导油滴朝电场反方向移动;无电场下聚集过程中沥青质处于两油滴界面,范德华作用力为油滴聚集的主要作用力,同时油滴界面沥青质分子与周围分子形成π-π结合构象,增强了油滴间的相互作用力.     

Drop Coalescence during Emulsion Formation in a High-Pressure Homogenizer for Tetradecane-in-Water Emulsion Stabilized by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

The present study investigates the effects of homogenizer pressure, surfactant concentration, ionic strength, and dispersed phase fraction on the coalescence rate of tetradecane-in-water emulsions during their formation in a high-pressure homogenizer. Experiments were conducted in a recirculating system consisting of a Rannie laboratory-scale single-stage homogenizer and a stirred vessel for tetradecane-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The initial evolution of the number concentration of droplets in the stirred tank was measured when subjected to a negative stepchange in the homogenizer pressure. The average drop coalescence rate constant in the homogenizer was inferred by fitting the experimental evolution of the number concentration of drops to a simple model accounting for the coalescence in the homogenizer under the assumption of a quasi steady state in the homogenizer. The residence time of the emulsion in the homogenizer was evaluated from the analysis of radial turbulent flow between disks. The step down homogenizer pressure was varied in the range 20.7-48.3 MPa, the drop size in the range 174-209 nm, the dispersed phase fraction in the range 5%-15%, SDS concentration in the range 0.0033-0.25 wt%, and ionic strength in the range 0.01-0.1 M. The coalescence rate constants were found to be in the range from 3.34x10(-17) to 2.43x10(-16) m(3) s(-1). The coalescence rate constant was found to be higher for higher homogenizer pressures, smaller drop sizes, lower dispersed phase fractions, and lower SDS concentrations and was insensitive to variations in ionic strength. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Study of Bimodal Drop Size Distributions of Emulsion

In order to increase the present understanding of bimodal emulsion drop size distributions, systematic series of experiments have been carried out to investigate the effects of formulation variables on bimodal drop size distributions, and probability distribution functions were proposed to analyze the distribution. The results show that, the span of the drop size and Sauter mean diameter become larger when the dispersed phase volume fraction becomes higher and rotor speed becomes lower; the Frechet function represents the experimental data satisfactorily. The prediction model of Sauter mean diameter established by combining the prediction theory of the maximum stable drop diameter and experimental analysis results can fit the experimental data well.     

Evaluation of Water-in-Crude-Oil Emulsion Stability Using Critical Electric Field: Effect of Emulsion Preparation Procedure and Crude Oil Properties

The critical electrical field has been used as a tool to probe water in crude emulsion stability to electrical fields in many previous studies. Given the increasing importance of this metric, this study investigates factors that are important to the reproducibility of the measurement and the effect of emulsion preparation variables on the critical electric field. It was observed that the emulsion preparation procedure has a strong effect on the measured critical electric field due to droplet size effects. Furthermore, the effect of crude oil properties on the critical electric field was investigated using emulsions from different oils but with the same average droplet diameter, where it was found that the measurement was dominated by crude oil viscosity.     

The Hard Rod Fluid in a Uniform Gravitational Field

Abstract

The system of hard rods in an external, uniform gravitational field is studied and exact expressions obtained for the partition functions, and the one- and two-particle distributions. In principle all higher order distributions can be exactly expressed as finite sums and the Laplace transforms of the one-particle density and pressure for a semi-infinite system are reducible to single integrals. Limiting cases of weak field and small rod diameters are examined. In the former case, these results agree with Percus and Lebowitz's local density expansion. In the latter case, corrections to the barometric pressure and density laws are obtained. Finally some mathematical difficulties involved in the calculation of the virial expansion and distribution of roots of the grand partition function are mentioned.     

Molecular Dynamics Simulation for the Demulsification of O/W Emulsion under Pulsed Electric Field

A bidirectional pulsed electric field (BPEF) method is considered a simple and novel technique to demulsify O/W emulsions. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulation was used to investigate the transformation and aggregation behavior of oil droplets in O/W emulsion under BPEF. Then, the effect of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) on the demulsification of O/W emulsion was investigated. The simulation results showed that the oil droplets transformed and moved along the direction of the electric field. SDS molecules can shorten the aggregation time of oil droplets in O/W emulsion. The electrostatic potential distribution on the surface of the oil droplet, the elongation length of the oil droplets, and the mean square displacement (MSD) of SDS and asphaltene molecules under an electric field were calculated to explain the aggregation of oil droplets under the simulated pulsed electric field. The simulation also showed that the two oil droplets with opposite charges have no obvious effect on the aggregation of the oil droplets. However, van der Waals interactions between oil droplets was the main factor in the aggregation.     

多重乳状液稳定性的研究

多重乳状液稳定性的研究刘沛妍，褚莹，吴子生，严忠，康万利（东北师范大学化学系，长春，１３００２４）（大庆石油学院，安达）关键词多重乳状液，示踪法，稳定性Ｗ／Ｏ型或Ｏ／Ｗ乳状液的稳定性是研究得比较成熟的课题［１］，但对Ｗ／Ｏ／Ｗ型多重（层）乳状液稳定性...     

Oxalate Precipitation in Emulsion: from the Drop Scale to the Industrial Process

An original process of actinides coprecipitation, based on either pulsed or Taylor-Couette flows column, is studied. The novelty of this process lies in the confinement of the aqueous reagents in droplets, dispersed in an inert organic phase (W/O emulsion). Besides the implementation of well-known technologies of the nuclear industry, the emulsion process is particularly convenient for the control of supersaturation, and ensures the sticky precipitates confinement within drops, thereby limiting the fouling risk and its adverse consequences on productivity and safety. A thorough understanding of the precipitation mechanisms and their interactions with the hydrodynamic conditions prevailing around and inside the drops is essential for the process optimization. In this context, numerical simulations were conducted, accompanying experiments, to study the process sensitivity. Different levels were considered in the modeling task, going from the emulsion behavior inside the column, to the reagents mixing and precipitation within the drops. Regarding the drops scale, on which we focus in this paper, population balance equations (PBE) were coupled to fluid dynamics simulation. Different methods of resolution of the PBE were tested. The behavior of the precipitate was also assessed using a Lagrangian approach. Thanks to these drop scale simulations, process experiments were discussed and analyzed.     

Behavior of an Emulsion in a Centrifugal Field: Kinetics of an Increase in the Excess Pressure and Destruction of an Emulsion

The effect of centrifugal forces on a decrease in the content of the dispersion medium in an emulsion (increase in its expansion), decrease in the pressure in this medium, and increase in the capillary pressure was conductometrically studied, as well as the effect of these forces on the destruction of the emulsion as a whole. At low rotational speed of the centrifuge (< 500 rpm), the hydrostatically equilibrium capillary pressure and expansion are established in the emulsion. At higher angular velocities, the emulsion column is rapidly destroyed, as a certain critical pressure is reached in Plateau borders of the emulsion; this pressure is smaller than the pressure balancing the forces of the centrifugal field.     

Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum in Non‐Uniform Electric Fields

The present paper discusses the effect of the geometrical structure of the electric fieldon the corrosion of aluminum cathodes by electrolysis of aqueous solutions of sodium chloride. A correlation between the mass of the aluminum dissolved from the cathode and the factors electric current density, distance between the electrodes, electrolysis time and sodium chloride concentration by electrolysis with direct current in electric fields of various geometries was found.     

Efficient Corona Discharge Fog Collector: Multiple Mesh Electrodes with Electric Field Enhances Fog Harvesting

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - Collecting fog water from the atmosphere or industrial waste gas can not only replenish water resources, but also improve the atmospheric environment....     

Breakup of double emulsion droplets in a tapered nozzle

When double emulsion droplets flow through a tapered nozzle, the droplets may break up and cause the core to be released. We model the system on the basis of the capillary instability and show that a droplet will not break up when the tilt angle of the nozzle is larger than 9°. For smaller tilt angles, whether the droplet breaks up also depends on the diameter ratio of the core of the droplet to the orifice of the nozzle. We verified this mechanism by experiments. The ideas are useful for the design of nozzles not only to break droplets for controlled release but also to prevent the droplet from rupturing in applications requiring the reinjection of an emulsion.     

周期性变电场下熔体静电纺丝射流的介观模拟

利用介观模拟的耗散粒子动力学法, 对纺丝射流稳定直线段区域进行变电场模拟, 并以三维的射流路径呈现出来. 研究了不同控制频率下的变电场对聚合物分子链的运动情况、 射流直径及下落行为的影响. 结果表明, 与稳定电场相比, 周期性改变电场能够有效提高分子链的拉伸, 使射流直径减小, 较低的控制频率能够加速射流的下落, 从而获得较细的纤维.     

Nonlinear Hall Effect on Metal Surfaces in a Periodic Electric Field

A theory of nonlinear Hall effect arising in the metal surface layer as a result of the application of an alternating electric field is given. Expressions for the Hall current are derived.     

Synthesis of Ammonia in a Strong Electric Field Discharge at Ambient Pressure

The plasma synthesis of ammonia has been studied in a nitrogen–hydrogenplasma using a strong electric field discharge at ambient pressure andtemperature. With this method, N₂ and H₂ molecules are ionized anddissociated and a large number of free atoms, ions, and radicals areformed in a nonequilibrium plasma after inelastic collisions. The finalproduct was mainly ammonia, including a small amount of hydrazine. WhenMgO powder, used as a catalyst, was smeared on the surface of the electrodeplates, the yields of ammonia increased about 1.54–1.75 times andreached 5000 ppm (0.5% v/v). In this way, plasma synthesis of ammonia atambient pressure is realized and a new method is provided for inorganicsynthesis, which consumes little energy and simplifies the process.     

W/O/W多重乳液中水传递的控制

建立了简化的W/O/W(水/油/水)多重乳液乳珠模型——统计平均半径模型, 预测出当W/O/W多重乳液内水相水滴之间以及内外水相之间均达到水传递平衡时的内外水相中盐的浓度, 从而实现对水传递的控制, 以维持W/O/W多重乳液的稳定. 按理论预测制备出了不同稳定态的W/O/W多重乳液, 利用差分扫描量热仪(DSC)检测了多重乳液中水的传递过程, 确定体系在实验状态下的稳定程度, 实验结果与理论预测基本吻合.