Collisions between Liquid Drops of Various Shapes in a Gas Flow

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the interaction between water drops of various surface configurations moving in a gas medium. Results of high-speed video monitoring provide a database on these collisions (in coagulation, expansion, and fragmentation regimes) for particles of spherical, oblate, and elongated ellipsoids. It is established that a determining role belongs to the surface configuration of drops (in addition to traditional notions about the influence of their dimensions, velocities, and angle of attack). The values of Weber numbers have been calculated for description of the conditions of interaction between drops of various shapes.