Drop breakup modelling in turbulent flows

Abstract

This paper deals with drop and bubble break-up modelling in turbulent flows. We consider the case where the drop/bubble slip velocity is smaller than or of the order of the turbulent velocity scales, or when the drop/bubble deformation is mainly caused by the turbulent stress (atomisation is not addressed here). The deformation of a drop is caused by continuous interactions with turbulent vortices; the drop responds to these interactions by performing shape-oscillations and breaks up when its deformation reaches a critical value. Following these observations, we use a model of forced oscillator that describes the drop deformation dynamics in the flow to predict its break-up probability. Such a model requires a characterization of the shape- oscillation dynamics of the drop. As this dynamics is theoretically known only under restrictive conditions (without gravity, surfactants), CFD two-phase flow simulations, based on the Level-Set and Ghost Fluid methods, are used to determine the interface dynamics in more complex situations: deformation of a drop in the presence of gravity, bubble-vortex interactions. Results are compared with experimental data. The perspectives to apply this model to breakup in emulsification processes are also discussed.