Session: 04-11-01 Posters

Paper Number: 193774

193774 - Dancing Drops in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence 

Abstract: 

We numerically investigate the breakage of liquid drops in homogeneous isotropic turbulence, a fundamental process central to diverse applications from fuel atomization to spray formation in oceanic breaking waves. This problem is characterized by a rich physics, where interfacial phenomena (surface tension) interacts with the underlying turbulent flow. We address these dynamics via direct numerical simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with a phase-field method, which is used to describe the interfacial dynamics The simulations employ our recently developed GPU-accelerated open source code, which enables the acquisition of high-fidelity spatial and temporal data by leveraging the Leonardo GPU-based supercomputer (CINECA). Visualization of the results highlights the complexity of drop–turbulence interactions, revealing the coexistence of distinct breakup modes. One mode originates from the formation of liquid films that progressively thin until puncture occurs. Another is associated with the development of elongated liquid threads that undergo pinch-off, producing multiple daughter drops. Notably, in both cases, the initial breakup event can trigger a cascade of subsequent breakage governed by the same underlying dynamics. Finally, analysis of the simulation data allows us to identify a scaling law for the separation distance between drops, which grows proportionally to the square of time, consistent with Batchelor scaling.

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