Numerical simulation of droplet detachment from solid walls under gravity force using lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract

In this study, interparticle potential model (Shan and Chen) of lattice Boltzmann method is employed to simulate the dripping and detachment of immiscible droplet under gravity force. In order to validate the simulations, free deformation of initialized square drop, coalescence of two adjacent drops and the Laplace law of two dimensional drops have been investigated. Dynamic behaviors of droplet, i.e. droplet detachment from ceiling of channel and droplet detachment from left solid wall of channel with different conditions of wall wetting properties are õinvestigated. Simulation results are presented for different Eotvos numbers (3 ≤ Eo ≤ 48) at the small Ohnesorge number (Oh = 0.07), as well. The results show that the droplet will not detach from wettable wall in low Eotvos numbers (Eo ≤ 6), but in hydrophobic walls, the droplet detaches from the wall in total range of examined Eotvos number.