Self-similarity formation of a pendant drop of power-law fluids

Abstract

To fully explore the breakup behavior of gel propellant in both the macroscopical and microscopic scales, the present study started from the self-similarity analysis for a macroscopical power-law liquid thread, and a transition from viscocapillary to viscocapillary-inertia breakup regime was identified by the experimental verification, using high-speed photography technology and image processing. Furthermore, the dissipative particle dynamics method was employed to predict the profile of microscopic power-law liquid thread when the diameter of thinning liquid filament approaches the micro-/nanoscale. Three different breakup regimes, capillary-, viscocapillary-inertia-, and thermal-fluctuation-dominated modes, were carefully reproduced and validated. Results showed that the self-similarity breakup process can be retarded by the inertial and viscous effects. In addition, there are some similarities existing between the macroscopical and micro-/nanoscale thinning processes.