Drop Breakup and Intermittent Turbulence

Abstract

Recent studies on the fine structure of turbulent flow are applied to drop breakup in the inertial sub-range. A multifractal method describes intermittency and the distribution of velocity fluctuations etc. For a given drop size and a given time-averaged energy dissipation rate, a wide range of stresses acts to cause breakup. These stresses and their relative frequencies are calculated. The most likely exponent on the Weber Number is close to -0.6. Smaller values (possibly as low as -0.93) arise from rare, but violent intermittent turbulence. Such low exponents are likely after long agitation times and for small tanks. © 1993, The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan. All rights reserved.