Clusters formation of drops from many droplets collisions: A 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics approach

Abstract

Here the SPH method is applied to simulate in the three-dimensional space the multiple hydrodynamics collisions and formation of clusters of equal-size liquid drops in a vacuum environment. For a range of velocity values from 0.2 mm/ms to 30.0 mm/ms we observe three possible scenarios, such as: coalescence and cluster formation of drops. When the collision velocity is too low the droplets interact only through their deformed surfaces. If this velocity is around 15.0 mm/ms the coalescence of the drops is observed, and after some time starting on t=0 a flat circular section is observed between the colliding drops. This interface disappears when the dynamics runs and the drops finally coalesce. The velocity vector fields were computed for the different scenarios showing some zones inside the drops where the fluid velocity is diminished and other zones where the SPH particles are accelerated.