Axisymmetric shapes and stability of isolated charged drops

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Phys. Fluids A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.857551· OSTI ID:6143880

Basaran, O A; Scriven, L E

Axisymmetric equilibrium shapes and stability of isolated charged drops are found by solving simultaneously the Young--Laplace equation for surface shape and the Laplace equation for the electric field. Families of two-, three-, and four-lobed shapes that branch from the trunk family of spheres are treated systematically by means of the Galerkin/finite element method and a tessellation that deforms with the free surface. The results show that at the limit found by Rayleigh in 1882 the spherical family exchanges stability with a family of two-lobed shapes, a transcritically bifurcating family, one arm of which proves to consist of stable shapes. The results are reinforced by those of approximating the stable drop shapes as oblate spheroids. Thus oblate drops carrying charge in excess of the Rayleigh limit ought to be seen in experiments, though none have yet been reported.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
• OSTI ID: 6143880
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids A; (United States) Vol. 1:5; ISSN PFADE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640440* -- Fluid Physics-- Electrohydrodynamics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CHARGE STATE
COORDINATES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISTURBANCES
DROPLETS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EQUATIONS
EQUILIBRIUM
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FUNCTIONS
GALERKIN-PETROV METHOD
ITERATIVE METHODS
LAPLACE EQUATION
LEGENDRE POLYNOMIALS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLES
POLYNOMIALS
SHAPE
STABILITY
SURFACES