Deformation of a two-dimensional drop at non-zero Reynolds number in time-periodic extensional flows: Numerical simulation (Q2731219)

The authors present numerical solution to a nonlinear free-boundary problem for a plane flow. A Newtonian liquid drop that initially has a circular shape is centered at the origin of the \(z=x+i y\) plane, and is surrounded by another viscous immiscible Newtonian liquid. In the far-field the surrounding liquid performs a time-periodic two-dimensional potential motion, which in three cases considered in the paper may be expressed through complex conjugate velocities \(\overline{u}_0^{( k)}( z,t)=A^{( k)} ( t)\cdot z\) with time-dependent coefficients \(A^{(1)} ( t)=i{\omega\over 2} e^{-i\omega t}\), \(A^{(2)} ( t)=i C e^{-i\omega t}\), \(A^{(3)} ( t)=i C \cos\omega t\). Each of these forcing flows is purely extensional, non-vortical and time-dependent. According to the authors, the first one can serve as an approximation to a potential vortex, although even in the far-field a potential vortex flow is not homogeneously extensional, and it is vortical in a rotating frame of reference. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe method used further in the paper implies the approach that in a sufficiently large computational domain (an \(L\times L\)-square, \(L\) is equal to several drop radii) around the origin the velocity field \(u( x,y,t)\) and pressure satisfy a single equation of momentum conservation as if it were only one viscous fluid with spatially varying properties. The interfacial tension causing the jump in the normal stress across the moving boundary is taken into account as a distributed body force in this momentum equation. Roughly summarizing, in such a way the two-phase is reduced to a single phase with spatially varying properties, thus avoiding to solve the governing equations for each phase and matching explicitly the two solutions at the interface. At the outer border of the computational domain, the authors require only the satisfaction of the kinematic condition for continuous velocity: \(u( x,y,t)=u_0^{( k)}( x,y,t)\) at \(\partial\Omega\). The calculations are performed for small but non-zero Reynolds numbers using an ADI front-tracking/finite difference method. The effects of Reynolds number, interfacial tension, and frequency on the drop deformation are thoroughly investigated. The analytical solution to this problem given in part II by the same authors [see the following entry] further validates the numerical results.