Shape and stability of a liquid drop moving at low Weber numbers

The equilibrium cross sectional shape and stability of a liquid drop moving in a gaseous medium is studied analytically. Such liquid drops appear as the final product in numerous industrial spraying and atomisation processes. Raindrops falling at their terminal speed can also be described by the present model. The equilibrium shape is formed by the interaction of two main factors; the dynamic pressure distribution in the gaseous medium which tends to deform the liquid drop into an oblate shape and the surface tension which tends to restore the spherical shape. The meridional shape of the liquid drop is obtained as a power series in the Weber number. The linear stability of the deformed shapes described above to small surface disturbances is studied. The stability analysis shows the effect of the surrounding gas flow on the natural frequencies of oscillation (vibration) of the liquid drop. The liquid drop is found to be stable in the region of low Weber numbers studied with a decrease in oscillation frequency proportional to the Weber number. This is in agreement with existing experimental data. Extrapolation of the results here lead to a Weber number of W=5.33 for breakup, again in agreement with experimental correlations.