The deformation and breakup of a droplet under the combined influence of electric field and shear flow

Abstract

A lattice Boltzmann and finite-difference hybrid method is used to simulate the droplet deformation and breakup under the combined action of shear flow and electric field. The hybrid method is first used to validate for the droplet deformation in the combined action of shear flow and electric field. It is then used to simulate the droplet deformation and breakup in two different electric systems. Results of prolate droplets show that the droplet height and deformation both increase with increasing electric capillary number ( CaE ). In addition, for the breakup mode of prolate droplets, increasing CaE makes the long axis of the droplet incline more towards the wall electrodes and droplet breaks up into more daughter droplets. Results of oblate droplets show that the droplet height decreases with increasing CaE . However, the droplet deformation first decreases and then increases with increasing CaE , and its minima occurs at CaE=0.01 . For the breakup mode of oblate droplets, the droplet deforms into a more oblate shape with a longer neck and finally breakup into more daughter droplets with increasing CaE .