Motion of a drop in viscous fluid along an inclined plane

Abstract

We consider the motion of the drop sedimenting down an inclined glass plate in viscous fluid. The density difference between the two fluids causes the motion of the drop along the glass plate. The drop motion for Reynolds number, Re << 1 and Bond number, B << 1 for inclination angle, 0.174 < α < 0.523 was studied. In that regime, Stokes drag over the drop balances the driving force. The proposed scaling law was compared with Hodges theoretical relation and with the experiments. The outer flow field visualization of the drop was done using particle imaging velocimetry technique. A small recirculation zone was observed just above the drop from the PIV image.