Simulations of splashing high and low viscosity droplets

TL;DR

This paper presents simulations of droplet impacts for low and high viscosity liquids, revealing that early impact physics are similar across viscosities, but later breakup behaviors differ, explaining experimental splash regimes.

Contribution

The study introduces a simulation approach capturing both ambient pressure and viscosity effects on droplet impact and breakup, highlighting differences in late-stage dynamics.

Findings

Early impact physics are similar for low and high viscosity droplets.

Late-stage breakup behaviors differ between low and high viscosity liquids.

Pressure effects influence splash regimes across viscosities.

Abstract

In this work simulations are presented of low viscosity ethanol and high viscosity silicone oil droplets impacting on a dry solid surface at atmospheric and reduced ambient pressure. The simulations are able to capture both the effect of the ambient gas pressure and liquid viscosity on droplet impact and breakup. The results suggests that the early time droplet impact and gas film behavior for both low and high viscosity liquids share the same physics. However, for later time liquid sheet formation and breakup high and low viscosity liquids behave differently. These results explain why for both kinds of liquids the pressure effect can be observed, while at the same time different high and low viscosity splashing regimes have been identified experimentally.