Limited transverse sizes of a droplet cloud under disintegration of a water mass during its fall from a great height

Abstract

The main stages of the formation of a droplet cloud during the disintegration of water masses (with an initial volume of 0.05–1 L) during their free fall from a great height (up to 15 m) have been determined. High-speed (up to 6 × 10⁵ frames per second) video cameras were used to perform 3D video recording of the transformation and destruction of water mass with the formation of a droplet cloud. It is found that the transverse sizes of the newly formed droplet cloud rapidly increase when the mass passes the first few (up to 10) meters from the onset of falling. It is shown that the maximum cross-sectional areas of the water mass change only slightly with an increase in the discharge height at heights above 10 m. A model of limited growth of the transverse sizes of droplet cloud is developed for the first time based on the results of large-scale experiments.