Dynamics of a compound droplet under the combined influence of electric field and shear flow

Manash Pratim Borthakur, Binita Nath, and Gautam Biswas
Phys. Rev. Fluids 6, 023603 – Published 9 February 2021

Abstract

We present a numerical investigation on the dynamics of a compound droplet under the combined influence of an applied electric field and shear flow. The paper is carried out by solving the electro-hydrodynamic equations in a two-dimensional framework, and the interface is captured using a volume-of-fluid approach. Both perfect dielectric as well as leaky dielectric fluids are considered. For the case of dielectric fluids, the deformation of both the inner and outer interfaces can be modulated by either variation of the permittivity contrast between the fluids or the applied field strength. The nature of the polarization forces acting at both the interfaces can be either compressive or tensile depending on the magnitude of the permittivity ratio. The investigations for leaky dielectric fluids reveal that the ratio of electrical permittivity and conductivity between the two phases plays a critical role in deciding the magnitude of deformation and orientation of the compound droplet. The variation of charge accumulated at the interfaces modifies the behavior of the Coulombic forces thereby fundamentally altering the droplet deformation and orientation characteristics. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the electric field can be suitably applied to engender breakup of the compound droplets.

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  • Received 13 July 2020
  • Accepted 28 January 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.6.023603

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Manash Pratim Borthakur

  • Department of Engineering Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE 10044, Sweden

Binita Nath

  • Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council, Rome 00185, Italy

Gautam Biswas*

  • Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India

  • *gtm@iitk.ac.in

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Vol. 6, Iss. 2 — February 2021

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