Modeling the disintegration of modulated liquid jets using volume-of-fluid (VOF) methodology

In this study, we present the numerical investigations on the effect of finite velocity modulations imposed on an otherwise unperturbed cylindrical liquid jet issuing into stagnant gas. Sinusoidal velocity fluctuations of finite frequency and amplitude are imposed at the liquid jet inlet and the resulting liquid jet surface deformation is captured using a volume of fluid (VOF) methodology, utilizing compressive interface capturing scheme for arbitrary meshes (CICSAM) scheme. Variation of the simulation parameters, comprising of the mean liquid jet velocity, modulation amplitude and frequency grouped together using a set of non-dimensional parameters, leads to the formation of a wide gamut of reproducible liquid structures such as waves, upstream/downstream directed bells, chains of droplets similar to those observed in experiments. Elaborate tests on the effect of injection velocity and inlet jet diameter are investigated to characterize the breakup process. The computations efficiently capture the diverse flow structures generated by the evolving modulated liquid jet inclusive of several non-linear dynamics such as growth of surface waves, ligament interaction with shear vortices and its subsequent thinning process. The simulations identify the deterministic behavior of modulated liquid jets to predict liquid disintegration modes under given set of non-dimensional parameters. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.