Bouncing, Helical and Buckling Instabilities During Droplet Collision: Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Liquids

In this video, Ray-tracing data visualization technique was used to obtain realistic and detailed flow motions during droplet collision. The differences of collision outcome between Newtonian and non-Newtonian were compared. Various types of droplet collision were presented, including bouncing, coalescence, and stretching separation. Because of the reducing of equivalent viscosity caused by shear stress, the gas film between shear-thinning droplet is thinner than Newtonian liquid. Since thinner gas film promotes coalescence, shear thinning liquid has smaller area of bouncing regime in the diagram of Weber number and impact parameter. During the ligament/thread breakup process of stretching separation, two kinds of instabilities are identified, helical and buckling instabilities. Helical instability is analogous to a viscous rotating liquid jet, while the buckling instability is analogous to electrically charged liquid jets of polymer solutions.