Analysis of Annular Liquid Membranes and Their Singularities

The singularities of the equations governing the fluid dynamics of steady, axisymmetric, annular liquid membranes subject to gravity are analyzed by means of two techniques based on the membranes's slope and curvature, and the membrane's mean radius, mass per unit length, and axial and radial velocity components, respectively. It is shown that no singularity is possible at or downstream from the nozzle exit for Weber numbers greater than unity because of the gravitational pull. For a Weber number equal to one, a singularity at the nozzle exit appears and the flow slope there is undetermined; however, the slope acquires a finite value if the liquid is assumed to leave the nozzle at angle different from that of the annular orifice. It is also shown that, for Weber numbers smaller than one, a singularity may occur downstream from the nozzle exit which may also be removed, and that the shapes of annular liquid membranes for Weber numbers equal to or less than one take a rounded form which is in agreement with experimental observations. An asymptotic analysis shows that, to leading order, the shapes of capillary, annular liquid membranes are arcs of circumferences, and this result is again in accord with available experimental findings.