Abstract
A novel methodology is introduced that can be used to study the behavior of conducting drops in electrostatic fields, when gravity effects are negligible. This methodology, called Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis — Electric Field (ADSA-EF), generates numerical drop profiles in the electrostatic field, for a given surface tension. Then, it calculates the true value of the surface tension by matching the theoretical profiles with the shape of the experimental drops, with the surface tension as an adjustable parameter. ADSA-EF can be employed for simulating drop shapes in the electric field, detecting the effect of an electric field on liquid surface tensions, and measuring surface tensions in microgravity, where current drop-shape techniques are not applicable. The predicted drop shapes in the electric field were compared with experimental images, indicating good agreement. Preliminary experiments according to ADSA-EF methodology suggested that the surface tension of water increases by about one percent in the electric field.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. Lahooti, O. I. del Río, P. Cheng, A. W. Neumann, Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis, in: A. W. Neumann, J. K. Spelt (Eds.), Applied Surface Thermodynamics, Marcel Dekker, New York, (1996).
H.J. Cho, I.S. Kang, Y.C. Kweon andM.H. Kim, Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 22, 909–922 (1996).
E. Borzabadi andA.G. Bailey, J. of Electrostatics, 5, 369–380 (1978).
K. Adamiak, Journal of Electrostatics, 51-52, 578–584 (2001).
O. A. Basaran andL. E. Scriven, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 140, 10–30 (1990).
W. F. Ames, Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations, Academic Press Inc., N.Y. (1977).
L. Fox, Numerical Solutions of Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations, Pergamon Press, N.Y. (1962).
G.D. Smith, Numerical Solutions of Partial Differential Equations, Oxford University Press, London (1965).
J. Jeans, The Mathematical Theory of Electricity and Magnetism, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK (1960).
M.T. Harris andO.A. Basaran, J. of Colloids and Interface Science, 170, 308–319(1995).
F.K. Wohlhuterand O.A. Basaran, J. Fluid Mech. 235, 481–510 (1992).
W. H. Press, B. P. Flannery, S. A. Teukolsky, W. T. Vetterling, Numerical Recipes The Art of Scientific Computing, Cambridge University Press, N.Y. (1992).
R.E. Walpole, R.H. Myers, S.L. Myers, K. Ye, Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists, Prentice Hall, Inc., New Jersey, 2002, p. 364.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bateni, A., Susnar, S.S., Amirfazli, A. et al. A novel methodology to study shape and surface tension of drops in Electric Fields. Microgravity sci. Technol. 16, 153–157 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02945967
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02945967