Breakup of a Liquid Jet in the Wind-Induced Regime

This BEM represents a fully-coupled gas/liquid axisymmetric simulation of an infinite liquid jet. Simulations can be conducted for arbitrary time-dependent gas flows. Results shown below are for water/air jets.

This image depicts the breakup process at low jet velocities. In this case, capillary forces dominate and the gas-phase pressure distribution is of only minor importance.

Here, at increased jet speed, the forces due to the gas become substantial. The conditions noted represent a ``transition regime'' between droplet pinchoff occuring at the centerline vs. the periphery of the jet.

At very high jet velocities, the gas-phase pressure distribution leads to the formation of ripples on the surface and the pinching of a ring of fluid from the periphery of the jet.

Stephen D. Heister -- heister@roger.ecn.purdue.edu

July 2, 1996