Numerical study on droplet generation in axisymmetric flow focusing upon actuation

• Published in: Physics of fluids (1994) Vol. 30; no. 1
• Main Authors: Mu, Kai, Si, Ting, Li, Erqiang, Xu, Ronald X., Ding, Hang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 01.01.2018
• Subjects: Actuation; Axisymmetric flow; Breakup; Droplets; Fluid dynamics; Physics; Stability
• ISSN: 1070-6631; 1089-7666
• DOI: 10.1063/1.5009601

In the pure axisymmetric flow focusing (AFF), it is difficult to generate uniform droplets due to the random breakup of bulk flows. Therefore, applying external perturbations is a desirable approach to control the monodispersity of the droplets and makes it possible to produce uniform droplets at relatively high flow rates. In the present study, the effects of different external perturbations (waveform shape, frequency f and amplitude A) on the droplet generation are numerically investigated. When the focused phase is singly actuated, the size of the uniform droplets can be obtained and manipulated by adjusting f and A. In particular, the jet breakup has the same frequency as the external perturbation in the generation of uniform droplets. There exists a cutoff frequency beyond which the perturbation cannot control the jet breakup, even with large A. This is found to be associated with the critical condition for the onset of the Rayleigh-Plateau instability. In addition, the reservoir effect of the cone in the AFF effectively reduces the influence of the perturbation on the liquid supply to the liquid jet, accounting for the presence of jetting at low f and large A. Moreover, we apply the perturbations either singly to the focusing phase or simultaneously to the focused and focusing phases and assess their effects on the jet breakup. Finally, the square waveform perturbations acting on the droplet generation are discussed. The present work provides a guidance of the actuation-aided AFF for practical applications of on-demand droplet generation.