Deformation and breakup of a leaky dielectric drop in a quadrupole electric field

2013 ◽  
Vol 731 ◽  
pp. 713-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivraj D. Deshmukh ◽  
Rochish M. Thaokar

AbstractThe deformation and breakup of a leaky dielectric drop suspended in a leaky dielectric medium subjected to a quadrupole electric field are studied. Analytical (linear and nonlinear asymptotic expansions in the electric capillary number, $C{a}_{Q} $, a ratio of electric to capillary stress) and numerical (boundary element) methods are used. A complete phase diagram for the drop deformation in the $R$–$Q$ plane is presented, where $R$ and $Q$ are the non-dimensional ratios of the resistivities and dielectric constants, respectively, of the drop and the medium phase. The prolate and oblate deformations are mapped in the phase diagram, and the flow contours are also shown. The large deformation and breakup of a drop at higher $C{a}_{Q} $ are analysed using the boundary element method. Several non-trivial shapes are observed at the onset of breakup of a drop. A prolate drop always breaks above a certain critical value of $C{a}_{Q} $. In the oblate deformation cases, breakup as well as steady shapes are observed at a higher value of $C{a}_{Q} $. A detailed study of prolate and oblate deformation tendencies due to the normal and tangential electric stresses and the countervailing role of viscous stresses is presented. The circulation inside a drop is found to be more intense for a quadrupole field as compared with a uniform electric field. More intense internal circulations can lead to enhanced mixing characteristics and will have implications in microfluidic devices.

Author(s):  
Michael Zabarankin

A small deformation theory for two non-identical spherical drops freely suspended in an ambient fluid and subjected to a uniform electric field is presented. The three phases are assumed to be leaky dielectric (slightly conducting) viscous incompressible fluids and the nonlinear effects of inertia and surface charge convection are neglected. The deformed shapes of the drops are linearized with respect to the electric capillary number that characterizes the balance between the electric stress and the surface tension. When the two drops are sufficiently far apart, their deformed shapes are predicted by Taylor’s small deformation theory—depending on Taylor’s discriminating function, the drops may become prolate, oblate or remain spherical. When the two drops get closer to each other, in addition to becoming prolate/oblate, they start translating and developing an egg shape. (Since there is no net charge, the centre of mass of the two drops remains stationary.) The extent of each of these ‘modes’ of deformation depends on the distance between the drops’ centres and on drop-to-ambient fluid ratios of electric conductivities, dielectric constants and viscosities. The predictions of the small deformation theory for two drops perfectly agree with the existing results of two-drop dynamics simulation based on a boundary-integral equation approach. Moreover, while previous works observed only three types of behaviour for two identical drops—the drops may either become prolate or oblate and move towards each other or become prolate and move away from each other—the small deformation theory predicts that non-identical drops may, in fact, become oblate and move away from each other when the drop-to-ambient fluid conductivity ratios are reciprocal and the drop-to-ambient fluid viscosity ratios are sufficiently large. The presented theory also readily yields an analytical insight into the interplay among different modes of drop deformation and can be used to guide the selection of the phases’ electromechanical properties for two-drop dynamics simulations.


Author(s):  
Michael Zabarankin

The problem of a stationary liquid toroidal drop freely suspended in another fluid and subjected to an electric field uniform at infinity is addressed analytically. Taylor’s discriminating function implies that, when the phases have equal viscosities and are assumed to be slightly conducting (leaky dielectrics), a spherical drop is stationary when Q =(2 R 2 +3 R +2)/(7 R 2 ), where R and Q are ratios of the phases’ electric conductivities and dielectric constants, respectively. This condition holds for any electric capillary number, Ca E , that defines the ratio of electric stress to surface tension. Pairam and Fernández-Nieves showed experimentally that, in the absence of external forces (Ca E =0), a toroidal drop shrinks towards its centre, and, consequently, the drop can be stationary only for some Ca E >0. This work finds Q and Ca E such that, under the presence of an electric field and with equal viscosities of the phases, a toroidal drop having major radius ρ and volume 4 π /3 is qualitatively stationary—the normal velocity of the drop’s interface is minute and the interface coincides visually with a streamline. The found Q and Ca E depend on R and ρ , and for large ρ , e.g. ρ ≥3, they have simple approximations: Q ∼( R 2 + R +1)/(3 R 2 ) and Ca E ∼ 3 3 π ρ / 2   ( 6  ln  ⁡ ρ + 2  ln ⁡ [ 96 π ] − 9 ) / ( 12  ln  ⁡ ρ + 4  ln ⁡ [ 96 π ] − 17 )   ( R + 1 ) 2 / ( R − 1 ) 2 .


Author(s):  
Edison C. Amah ◽  
Ian S. Fischer ◽  
Pushpendra Singh

In our previous studies we have shown that particles adsorbed on the surface of a drop can be concentrated at its poles or equator by applying a uniform electric field. This happens even when the applied electric field is uniform; the electric field on the surface of the drop is nonuniform, and so particles adsorbed on the surface are subjected to dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces. In this study, we use leaky dielectric model to model the transient behavior of particles at low electric field frequencies. We show that the frequency of the electric field is an important control parameter that under certain conditions can be used to collect particles at the poles or the equator, and to move them from the poles to the equator. The speed with which particles move on the surface depends on the strength of the electrohydrodynamic flow which diminishes with increasing frequency.


2014 ◽  
Vol 754 ◽  
pp. 550-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul B. Karyappa ◽  
Shivraj D. Deshmukh ◽  
Rochish M. Thaokar

AbstractA conducting drop suspended in a viscous dielectric and subjected to a uniform DC electric field deforms to a steady-state shape when the electric stress and the viscous stress balance. Beyond a critical electric capillary number $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}\mathit{Ca}$, which is the ratio of the electric to the capillary stress, a drop undergoes breakup. Although the steady-state deformation is independent of the viscosity ratio $\lambda $ of the drop and the medium phase, the breakup itself is dependent upon $\lambda $ and $\mathit{Ca}$. We perform a detailed experimental and numerical analysis of the axisymmetric shape prior to breakup (ASPB), which explains that there are three different kinds of ASPB modes: the formation of lobes, pointed ends and non-pointed ends. The axisymmetric shapes undergo transformation into the non-axisymmetric shape at breakup (NASB) before disintegrating. It is found that the lobes, pointed ends and non-pointed ends observed in ASPB give way to NASB modes of charged lobes disintegration, regular jets (which can undergo a whipping instability) and open jets, respectively. A detailed experimental and numerical analysis of the ASPB modes is conducted that explains the origin of the experimentally observed NASB modes. Several interesting features are reported for each of the three axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric modes when a drop undergoes breakup.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 305-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petia M. Vlahovska

The 1969 review by J.R. Melcher and G.I. Taylor defined the field of electrohydrodynamics. Fifty years on, the interaction of weakly conducting (leaky dielectric) fluids with electric fields continues to yield intriguing phenomena. The prototypical system of a drop in a uniform electric field has revealed remarkable dynamics in strong electric fields such as symmetry-breaking instabilities (e.g., Quincke rotation) and streaming from the drop equator. This review summarizes recent experimental and theoretical studies in the area of fluid particles (drop and vesicles) in electric fields, with a focus on the transient dynamics and extreme deformations. A theoretical framework to treat the time evolution of nearly spherical shapes is provided. The model has been successful in describing the dynamics of vesicles (closed lipid membranes) in an electric field, highlighting the broader range of applicability of the leaky dielectric approach.


1998 ◽  
Vol 368 ◽  
pp. 359-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. BAYGENTS ◽  
N. J. RIVETTE ◽  
H. A. STONE

The motion of two drops in a uniform electric field is considered using the leaky dielectric model. The drops are assumed to have no native charge and a dielectrophoretic effect favours translation of the drops toward one another. However, circulatory flows that stem from electrohydrodynamic stresses may either act with or against this dielectrophoretic effect. Consequently, both prolate and oblate drop deformations may be generated and significant deformation occurs near drop contact owing to enhancement of the local electric field. For sufficiently widely spaced drops, electrohydrodynamic flows dominate direct electrical interactions so drops may be pushed apart, though closely spaced drops almost always move together as a result of the electrical interaction or deformation.


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