Numerical simulation of electrospray in the cone-jet mode

M. A. Herrada (1) , J. M. Lopez-Herrera (1) , Alfonso M. Gañán‑calvo (1) , E. J. Vega (2) , J. M. Montanero (2) , S. Popinet (3)

1 Departamento de Ingenia Aerospacial y Mécanica de Fluidos
2 UEX - Universidad de Extremadura - University of Extremadura
3 NIWA - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington]

We present a robust and computationally efficient numerical scheme for simulating steady electrohydrodynamic atomization processes (electrospray). The main simplification assumed in this scheme is that all the free electrical charges are distributed over the interface. Comparison of the results with those calculated with a Volume-of-Fluid method showed that the numerical scheme presented here accurately describes the flow pattern within the entire liquid domain. Experiments were performed to partially validate the numerical predictions. The simulations reproduced accurately the experimental shape of the liquid cone-jet, providing correct values of the emitted electric current even for configurations very close to the cone-jet stability limit.

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

M. A. Herrada, J. M. Lopez-Herrera, Alfonso M. Gañán‑calvo, E. J. Vega, J. M. Montanero, et al.. Numerical simulation of electrospray in the cone-jet mode. Physical Review E , 2012, 86 (2), pp.026305. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevE.86.026305⟩. ⟨hal-01445418⟩