Abstract
This study is devoted to experimental and theoretical investigation of splash produced by spray impact onto a smooth, rigid target under microgravity conditions. In particular, the formation of a film by the deposited liquid, the propagation and breakup of uprising sheets created by drop impacts, and the creation of secondary droplets have been observed. Three scenarios of splash have been identified during the experiments: (i) cusp formation and jetting due to the rim transverse instability, (ii) sheet destruction and the consequent rapid axisymmetric capillary breakup of a free rim, and (iii) the rim merging. Experimental data for various geometrical parameters of splash have been collected. Next, in order to predict the typical length scales of the interjet distance, a linear stability analysis of the rim in relation to transverse disturbances has been performed. The influence of the sheet stretching has been investigated and shown to be significant. The experimentally measured average values of the interjet distances agree well with the theoretical predictions. The sheet stretching is responsible for the appearance of the relatively long interjet distances.
4 More- Received 12 December 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.76.026302
©2007 American Physical Society