Instability and breakup of charged liquid jets

Abstract

Drops formed from the breakup of charged cylindrical liquid jets have been shown to be smaller than those formed in the unelectrified case. This change has been related to electrically induced instabilities on the jet. Small-perturbation analysis was used to formulate the Lagrangian and write the differential equation for the jet. Non-dimensionalized plots of the solutions exhibit the stabilizing or destabilizing influences of surface tension and electric effects, and allow these influences to be related back to liquid physical properties. Drop diameter to be expected from breakup of the electrified jet was calculated as a function of jet diameter, physical properties of the liquid, jet electrification, and the mode of instability dominating the breakup process.