Complete Coalescence, Partial Bounce and Rebound: Different RegimesResulting from the Interaction of a Free Falling Drop with a Target Fluid
Yu. D. Chashechkin, rey Y. Ilinykh
Abstract
The interaction of a falling drop (diluted aqueous solution of ink in various concentrations) with a target fluid (partially degassed tap water) has been tracked by means of high-resolution video recording and photography. The experimental setup has carefully been prepared in order to preserve the axial symmetry of initial conditions. Three regimes of interaction have been identified accordingly (depending on the drop velocity as controlled by the distance of fall): rapid droplet coalescence, rebound with the conservation of the drop volume and shape, and partial coalescence. Previous findings are recovered and confirmed, and enriched with heretofore unseen observations of complex partial coalescence. An extensive set of data is reported to support understanding of the observed dynamics and their repeatability and reproducibility. The overall study has been carried out with the express intent to spur the future development of detailed mathematical models and numerical methods suited for this kind of problems.