Single bubble deformation and breakup in simple shear flow

Experiments in a parallel band apparatus and a transparent concentric cylinder device allow the observation of bubble deformation (shape and orientation) and breakup as a function of the viscosity ratio λ and the Capillary number Ca. For viscosity ratios between 3.1 × 10⁻⁷ and 6.7 × 10⁻⁸, critical Capillary numbers Ca _c for bubble breakup between 29 and 45 are found. It is furthermore shown that in the given parameter space no clear distinction between tip breakup and fracture can be made for bubbles. An erratum to this article can be found at     

In situ observations of unusual drop deformation and wobbling in simple shear flow

Deformation and wobbling of a liquid drop immersed in a liquid matrix were studied under mild shear conditions for various viscosity ratios. In situ visualization experiments were conducted on a homemade transparent Couette cell incorporated to the Paar Physica MCR500 shear rheometer. The effect of drop or matrix elasticity was examined and was found to play a major role in both deformation and wobbling processes. Experimental results were compared to Jackson and Tucker (J Rheol 47:659–682, 2003), Maffettone and Minale (J Non-Newton Fluid Mech 78:227–241, 1998) and Yu and Bousmina (J Rheol 47:1011–1039, 2003) ellipsoidal models. It was found that the agreement between the Newtonian models and the experimental results required an increase in the drop viscosity. Such increment in viscosity was found to scale with the first normal stress difference.     

Effect of confinement on droplet deformation in shear flow

The dynamics of a single droplet under shear flow between two parallel plates is investigated by using the immersed boundary method. The immersed boundary method is appropriate for simulating the drop-ambient fluid interface. We apply a volume-conserving method using the normal vector of the surface to prevent mass loss of the droplet. In addition, we present a surface remeshing algorithm to cope with the distortion of droplet interface points caused by the shear flow. This mesh quality improvement in conjunction with the volume-conserving algorithm is particularly essential and critical for long time evolutions. We study the effect of wall confinement on the droplet dynamics. Numerical simulations show good agreement with previous experimental results and theoretical models.     

Influence of viscoelasticity on drop deformation and orientation in shear flow: Part 1. Stationary states

The influence of matrix and droplet viscoelasticity on the steady deformation and orientation of a single droplet subjected to simple shear is investigated microscopically. Experimental data are obtained in the velocity–vorticity and velocity–velocity gradient plane. A constant viscosity Boger fluid is used, as well as a shear-thinning viscoelastic fluid. These materials are described by means of an Oldroyd-B, Giesekus, Ellis, or multi-mode Giesekus constitutive equation. The drop-to-matrix viscosity ratio is 1.5. The numerical simulations in 3D are performed with a volume-of-fluid algorithm and focus on capillary numbers 0.15 and 0.35. In the case of a viscoelastic matrix, viscoelastic stress fields, computed at varying Deborah numbers, show maxima slightly above the drop tip at the back and below the tip at the front. At both capillary numbers, the simulations with the Oldroyd-B constitutive equation predict the experimentally observed phenomena that matrix viscoelasticity significantly suppresses droplet deformation and promotes droplet orientation. These two effects saturate experimentally at high Deborah numbers. Experimentally, the high Deborah numbers are achieved by decreasing the droplet radius with other parameters unchanged. At the higher capillary and Deborah numbers, the use of the Giesekus model with a small amount of shear-thinning dampens the stationary state deformation slightly and increases the angle of orientation. Droplet viscoelasticity on the other hand hardly affects the steady droplet deformation and orientation, both experimentally and numerically, even at moderate to high capillary and Deborah numbers.     

Deformation and breakup of a non-Newtonian slender drop in an extensional flow

The deformation and breakup of a non-Newtonian slender drop in a Newtonian liquid in a simple extensional and creeping flow has been theoretically studied. The power-law was chosen for the fluid inside the drop, and the deformation of the drop is described by a single ordinary differential equation, which was numerically solved. Asymptotic analytical expressions for the local radius were derived near the center and close to the end of the drop. The results for the shape of the drop and the breakup criterion are presented as a function of the capillary number, the viscosity ratio and type of non-Newtonian fluid inside the drop. An approximate analytical solution is also suggested which is in good agreement with the numerical results.     

Experimental investigation of viscoelastic drop deformation in Newtonian matrix at high capillary number under simple shear flow

The steady state deformation of a viscoelastic drop (Boger fluid) in a Newtonian liquid at high capillary number under simple shear flow is investigated by direct visualization using a specially designed Couette apparatus which enables visualization from two perpendicular directions. Two drop deformation modes are found: (1) Mode I – drop deformation in the flow direction and (2) Mode II – drop deformation in the vorticity direction. The drop deformation mode depends on the relative strength of the elastic contribution to viscous contribution. If the elastic contribution is weak compared to the viscous contribution, the drop elongates in the flow direction via Mode I. If the elastic contribution is strong, the drop elongates in the vorticity direction via Mode II. The drop size also affects the drop deformation. At the same capillary number, bigger drops have larger deformations than smaller drops.     

二维细胞在剪切流中的运动特性

主要模拟二维细胞在剪切流中的运动特性.计算过程采用浸入边界法,将细胞模化成Navier-Stokes方程中的力源,而不是真实物体.假设细胞的初始形状为椭圆,细胞内外流体粘性相同,细胞膜的弹性力模型选用E-S模型.本文模拟四种不同真圆度情况下细胞的形变情况,观测到初始阶段细胞沿着长轴方向做拉伸和旋转运动,达到稳定状态后细胞作类坦克履带式运动;并且发现细胞达到稳定状态所需要的时间随真圆度的增加而增加,而细胞的稳态倾角随真圆度的增加而减少.     

Two-dimensional study of drop deformation under simple shear for Oldroyd-B liquids

The effect of viscoelasticity on the deformation of a circular drop suspended in a second liquid in shear is investigated with direct numerical simulations. A numerical algorithm based on the volume-of-fluid method for interface tracking is implemented in two dimensions with the Oldroyd-B constitutive model for viscoelastic liquids. The code is verified against a normal mode analysis for the stability of two-layer flow in a channel; theoretical growth rates are reproduced for the interface height, velocity and stress components. Drop simulations are performed for drop and matrix liquids of different viscosities and elasticities. A new feature is found for the case of equal viscosity, when the matrix liquid is highly elastic and surface tension is low; hook-like structures form at the drop tips. This is due to the growth of first normal stress differences that occur slightly above the front tip and below the back tip as the matrix elasticity increases above a threshold value.     

激波诱导高速气流中液滴的初期变形

基于激波管平台和高速摄影方法对平面激波诱导高速气流中液滴的早期变形现象进行实验研究。研究发现在相近的We数或Re数下,实验参数的改变可导致液滴形态发展出现显著差异。这种差异主要体现在背风面的脊状环形突起、褶皱区以及后驻点区的凹凸形态。对刚性圆球外流的数值模拟显示,液滴变形早期形态与外流场结构和表面气动力分布之间存在鲜明的对应关系。最后采用简化理论推导出一组估测液滴早期变形的表达式。将数值模拟所得气动力数据代入计算发现:导致液滴变形的主要驱动力是液滴表面不均匀压力的挤压效应,而不是界面剪切摩擦所引起的切向流动堆积效应,前者高出后者约2个数量级;此外,采用压力作用理论计算所得液滴外形在主要变形特征和变形量级上均可与实验图像很好地吻合。     

Effects of coalescence and breakup on the steady-state morphology of an immiscible polymer blend in shear flow

The steady-state morphology of an immiscible polymer blend in shear flow has been investigated by optical microscopy techniques. The blend is composed by poly-isobutylene (PIB) and poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of comparable viscosity. Experiments were performed by means of a home-made transparent parallel plate device. The two plates can be independently counterrotated, so that sheared droplets of the dispersed phase can be kept fixed with respect to the microscope point of view, and observed for long times. The distribution of drops and their average size were measured directly during flow at different shear rates and for different blend compositions. It was found that the average drop size in steady-state conditions is a decreasing function of the applied shear rate, and does not depend on blend composition for volume fractions up to 10%. Experiments have proved that, in the shear rate range which could be investigated, the stationary morphology is controlled only by coalescence phenomena, droplet breakup playing no role in determining the size of the dispersed phase. More generally, it has been shown that the steady-state morphology is a function not only of the physical parameters of the blend and of the shear rate, but also of the initial conditions applied to the blend. The steady-state results reported in this paper constitute the first direct experimental confirmation of theoretical models which describe the mechanisms of shear-induced drop coalescence.     

MOTION AND DEFORMATION OF VISCOUS DROP IN STOKES FLOW NEAR RIGID WALL

A boundary integral method was developed for simulating the motion and deformation of a viscous drop in an axisymmetric ambient Stokes flow near a rigid wall and for direct calculating the stress on the wall. Numerical experiments by the method were performed for different initial stand-off distances of the drop to the wall, viscosity ratios, combined surface tension and buoyancy parameters and ambient flow parameters. Numerical results show that due to the action of ambient flow and buoyancy the drop is compressed and stretched respectively in axial and radial directions when time goes. When the ambient flow action is weaker than that of the buoyancy the drop raises and bends upward and the stress on the wall induced by drop motion decreases when time advances. When the ambient flow action is stronger than that of the buoyancy the drop descends and becomes flatter and flatter as time goes. In this case when the initial stand-off distance is large the stress on the wall increases as the drop evolutes but when the stand-off distance is small the stress on the wall decreases as a result of combined effects of ambient flow, buoyancy and the stronger wall action to the flow. The action of the stress on the wall induced by drop motion is restricted in an area near the symmetric axis, which increases when the initial stand-off distance increases. When the initial stand-off distance increases the stress induced by drop motion decreases substantially. The surface tension effects resist the deformation and smooth the profile of the drop surfaces. The drop viscosity will reduce the deformation and migration of the drop.     

An experimental study of drop migration in shear flow between concentric cylinders

The phenomenon of migration of liquid drops in Couette flow between concentric cylinders due to non-Newtonian fluid properties and shape deformation has been studied experimentally. The results agree very well with the theory of Chan and Leal, which included the effect of hydrodynamic interaction with the bounding walls, and that of velocity profile curvature in a Couette device. Significant observations that were not reported in previous studies include the migration of a deformable Newtonian drop to an equilibrium position between the centerline and the inner rotor, and the competition between normal stresses and shape deformation effects for the case of a Newtonian drop in a non-Newtonian fluid.     

Effects of viscosity ratio on deformation of a viscoelastic drop in a Newtonian matrix under steady shear

Deformation of an Oldroyd B drop in a Newtonian matrix under steady shear is simulated using a front tracking finite difference method for varying viscosity ratio. For drop viscosity lower than that of the matrix, the long-time steady deformation behavior is similar to that of the viscosity matched system—the drop shows reduced deformation with increasing Deborah number due to the increased inhibiting viscoelastic normal stress inside the drop. However for higher viscosity ratio systems, the drop response is non-monotonic—the steady drop deformation first decreases with increasing Deborah number but above a critical Deborah number, it increases with further increase in Deborah number, reaching higher than the viscous case value for some viscosity ratios. We explain the increase in deformation with Deborah number by noting that at higher viscosity ratios, strain rate inside the drop is reduced, thereby reducing the inhibiting viscoelastic stress. Furthermore, similar to the viscosity matched system, the drop inclination angle increases with increasing Deborah number. A drop aligned more with the maximum stretching axis at 45 degree of the imposed shear, experiences increased viscous stretching. With increased ratio of polymeric viscosity to total drop viscosity, the drop deformation decreases and the inclination angle increases. Our simulation results compare favorably with a number of experimental and computational results from other researchers.     

The stability and flow of a rivulet driven by interfacial shear and gravity

In this paper, the steady unidirectional flow of a rivulet, driven by interfacial shear and gravity, is considered. When the aspect ratio of the rivulet is small the pressure, velocity, flux and cross-sectional shape are determined in the form of asymptotic power series. The problem is also solved numerically without the small aspect ratio assumption. The analytical and numerical results are compared to test the range of validity of the asymptotics. Both sets of results are also compared with existing experimental data. Finally, the rivulet energy is considered to determine whether it is energetically favourable for a rivulet to split.     

An investigation into the interfacial shear stress contribution in two-phase stratified flow

This paper provides a combined theoretical and experimental investigation into the contribution of interfacial shear stress in certain co and counter-current flows in circular pipes. Based on momentum balance two equations were developed for such flows then two fluid systems of significantly different density ratio were experimentally tested to quantify these equations.