Secondary Breakup of Drops

Abstract

Secondary atomization of droplets generated from primary atomization is observed in high-speed flows. In natural scenarios, falling raindrops undergo aerodynamic breakup that modifies the resulting drop size distribution on the ground. In this article, we review some aspects of the drop breakup mechanisms, initial deformation, drag characteristics, and time scales of breakup. We also review some of the secondary atomization models, such as TAB and DDB, proposed in the literature. We discuss the role of new numerical algorithms for two-phase flow simulations in providing insights into the exact physical mechanisms involved during drop breakup.