We present new experimental results on the interfacial instabilities and breakup of Newtonian liquid drops suddenly exposed to rarefied, high-speed (Mach 3) air flows. The experimental approach allows for the first time detailed observation of interfacial phenomena and mixing throughout the breakup cycle over a wide range of Weber numbers. Key findings are that Rayleigh-Taylor instability alone is the active mechanism for freestream Weber numbers as low as 28 for low viscosity liquids and that stripping rather than piercing is the asymptotic regime as This and other detailed visual evidence over are uniquely suitable for testing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations on the way to basic understanding of aerobreakup over a broad range of conditions.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: li@engr.ucsb.edu
e-mail: nam@engr.ucsb.edu
Article navigation
July 2004
Technical Papers
Aerobreakup in Rarefied Supersonic Gas Flows
T. G. Theofanous, Professor,,
T. G. Theofanous, Professor,
Search for other works by this author on:
G. J. Li, Post-Graduate Researcher,,
e-mail: li@engr.ucsb.edu
G. J. Li, Post-Graduate Researcher,
Center for Risk Studies and Safety, University of California, Santa Barbara, 6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
Search for other works by this author on:
T. N. Dinh, Associate Adjunct Professor,
e-mail: nam@engr.ucsb.edu
T. N. Dinh, Associate Adjunct Professor,
Center for Risk Studies and Safety, University of California, Santa Barbara, 6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
Search for other works by this author on:
G. J. Li, Post-Graduate Researcher,
Center for Risk Studies and Safety, University of California, Santa Barbara, 6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
e-mail: li@engr.ucsb.edu
T. N. Dinh, Associate Adjunct Professor,
Center for Risk Studies and Safety, University of California, Santa Barbara, 6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
e-mail: nam@engr.ucsb.edu
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division for publication in the JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the Fluids Engineering Division May 27, 2003; revised manuscript received February 18, 2004. Associate Editor: J. Katz.
J. Fluids Eng. Jul 2004, 126(4): 516-527 (12 pages)
Published Online: September 10, 2004
Article history
Received:
May 27, 2003
Revised:
February 18, 2004
Online:
September 10, 2004
Citation
Theofanous, T. G., Li, G. J., and Dinh, T. N. (September 10, 2004). "Aerobreakup in Rarefied Supersonic Gas Flows ." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. July 2004; 126(4): 516–527. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1777234
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Related Articles
DSMC Analysis of Rarefied Gas Flow Over a Rectangular Cylinder at All Knudsen Numbers
J. Fluids Eng (December,2000)
Recent Advances in Numerical Methods for Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer
J. Fluids Eng (July,2005)
The Influence of Compressibility on the Aerodynamics of an Inverted Wing in Ground Effect
J. Fluids Eng (June,2011)
Modeling Wall Film Formation and Breakup Using an Integrated Interface-Tracking/Discrete-Phase Approach
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power (March,2011)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Applications
Introduction to Finite Element, Boundary Element, and Meshless Methods: With Applications to Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow
Jetting of Viscous Single Droplets from Cavitation Induced Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)
CFD Simulations of a Mixed-flow Pump Using Various Turbulence Models
Mixed-flow Pumps: Modeling, Simulation, and Measurements