Simulation and analytical modeling of high-speed droplet impact onto a surface

• Published in: Physics of fluids (1994) 2024-01, Vol.36 (1)
• Main Author: Weigand, Bernhard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cavitation; Compressibility effects; Droplets; Fluid dynamics; Impact loads; Impact velocity; Industrial applications; Low pressure; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Modelling; Rarefaction; Solid surfaces
• ISSN: 1070-6631; 1089-7666
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0186883

The fluid dynamics of liquid droplet impact on surfaces hold significant relevance to various industrial applications. However, high impact velocities introduce compressible effects, leading to material erosion. A gap in understanding and modeling these effects has motivated this study. We simulated droplet impacts on solid surfaces and proposed a new analytical model for impact pressure and droplet turning line, targeting at predictions for enhanced cavitation. The highly compressed liquid behind the droplet expands sideways, causing lateral jetting. As the droplet encounters a shock wave, it reflects as a rarefaction wave, leading to low-pressure zones within the droplet. These zones converge at the droplet's center, causing cavitation, which, upon collapse, induces another shock wave, contributing to erosion. Using the well-established model for the low-velocity impact shows a significant discrepancy. Hence, an analytical model for the turning line radius is introduced, incorporating the lateral jetting's characteristic length scale. Comparing our model with existing ones, our new model exhibits superior predictive accuracy.