Liquid Bridge Research Articles

Numerical Investigation of Funicular Liquid Bridges between Three Spherical Grains in a Bidisperse Particulate System.

Appropriate capillary effects are beneficial for controlling the wet powder performance and agglomerate formation. As water content rises, the funicular regime supplants the pendular regime as the predominant state in wet granular media. The displacement of grains leading to the stretching of funicular liquid bridges until rupture is an interesting and common phenomenon. Utilizing Surface Evolver software (an energy minimization approach), this work develops an efficient and accurate numerical model to describe liquid interactions among three spherical grains. The effects of liquid volume, contact angle, grain size ratio, grain-pair gap, and separation distance on the capillary forces and rupture distances are investigated. Notably, we present a modified closed-form equation for predicting the rupture distance of funicular bridges between three grains, which reflects the coupled effects of the contact angle, grain size, and liquid volume on rupture distance. This present study provides insights for incorporating capillary effects into mechanical models relying on microassembly composed of several grains in bidisperse particulate systems. Additionally, the numerical findings confirm some findings regarding the splitting of funicular bridges.

Swirling Capillary Instability of Rivlin–Ericksen Liquid with Heat Transfer and Axial Electric Field

The mutual influences of the electric field, rotation, and heat transmission find applications in controlled drug delivery systems, precise microfluidic manipulation, and advanced materials’ processing techniques due to their ability to tailor fluid behavior and surface morphology with enhanced precision and efficiency. Capillary instability has widespread relevance in various natural and industrial processes, ranging from the breakup of liquid jets and the formation of droplets in inkjet printing to the dynamics of thin liquid films and the behavior of liquid bridges in microgravity environments. This study examines the swirling impact on the instability arising from the capillary effects at the boundary of Rivlin–Ericksen and viscous liquids, influenced by an axial electric field, heat, and mass transmission. Capillary instability arises when the cohesive forces at the interface between two fluids are disrupted by perturbations, leading to the formation of characteristic patterns such as waves or droplets. The influence of gravity and fluid flow velocity is disregarded in the context of capillary instability analyses. The annular region is formed by two cylinders: one containing a viscous fluid and the other a Rivlin–Ericksen viscoelastic fluid. The Rivlin–Ericksen model is pivotal for comprehending the characteristics of viscoelastic fluids, widely utilized in industrial and biological contexts. It precisely characterizes their rheological complexities, encompassing elasticity and viscosity, critical for forecasting flow dynamics in polymer processing, food production, and drug delivery. Moreover, its applications extend to biomedical engineering, offering insights crucial for medical device design and understanding biological phenomena like blood flow. The inside cylinder remains stationary, and the outside cylinder rotates at a steady pace. A numerically analyzed quadratic growth rate is obtained from perturbed equations using potential flow theory and the Rivlin–Ericksen fluid model. The findings demonstrate enhanced stability due to the heat and mass transfer and increased stability from swirling. Notably, the heat transfer stabilizes the interface, while the density ratio and centrifuge number also impact stability. An axial electric field exhibits a dual effect, with certain permittivity and conductivity ratios causing perturbation growth decay or expansion.

Heterogeneous pressure transmission behavior of layered liquid bridge

Heterogeneous pressure transmission behavior of layered liquid bridge

Understanding particle adhesion of sewage sludge incineration ash at high temperatures: Effect of physical characteristics

Ash particle adhesion at high temperatures in thermochemical processes is a serious problem, and adhered ashes cause operational problems for processing plants, resulting in inefficient and unstable operation. A major mechanism of adhesion is the formation of a liquid phase due to melting of the ash components with low melting points, which results in a liquid bridge force, which is an attractive force. Therefore, the chemical characteristics of the ashes have been carefully studied to understand the adhesion phenomenon. However, each ash is also characterized by its physical properties such as particle size and packing ability. In this study, we focused on the physical characteristics of sewage sludge incinerated ashes collected from commercial incineration plants and carefully examined their relationship to adhesion. We found good correlations between particle size or porosity of the powder bed and adhesiveness at both ambient temperature and 800 °C. Understanding particle adhesion based on physical characteristics is simpler than considering complicated chemical characteristics and is useful for predicting particle adhesion at high temperatures.

Piezoceramic Stick–Slip Actuator with Nanometer Displacement Resolution for Liquid Bridge Stretching

Piezoceramic Stick–Slip Actuator with Nanometer Displacement Resolution for Liquid Bridge Stretching

Approximate expressions for the capillary force and the surface area of a liquid bridge between identical spheres

AbstractWe consider a liquid bridge between identical spheres and present approximate expressions for the capillary force and the exposed surface area of the liquid bridge as functions of the liquid bridge’s total volume and the sphere separation distance. The radius of the spheres and the solid–liquid contact angle are parameters that enter the expressions. These expressions are needed for efficient numerical simulations of drying suspensions and other systems involving liquid bridges whose volume or shape vary in time.

Viscous effects in sheared unsaturated wet granular materials

We report on experiments and discrete element simulations of homogeneous, simple, normal stress-controlled, shear flows of model unsaturated granular materials: assemblies of frictional spherical particles bonded by a small quantity of a wetting liquid. The rheology of such unsaturated granular materials in the dense flow regime was characterized in recent publications of our group, in terms of internal friction coefficient μ∗ and solid fraction Φ, depending on the reduced pressure P∗ comparing capillary forces to controlled normal stress, and on inertial number I. The present study extends this description to the influence of the liquid viscosity on material rheology in the low saturation regime. The quantitative agreement of simulations with experiments is confirmed for the quasistatic limit, and our numerical results, despite some quantitative differences, capture the correct trends in the regime dominated by viscous forces. Rheological properties are then determined, to a large extent, by the same viscous numberIv as used to formulate constitutive laws in saturated, dense suspensions. More precisely, a visco-inertial numberJ, combining Iv with inertial number I as J=Iv+2I2, appears apt to describe the rheological laws, as expressed by the internal friction coefficient and the solid fraction, measured in the laboratory or in the simulations, as well as the numerically investigated internal state of the flowing material. Simulations provide insight into the role of viscous forces: predominantly tensile, they contribute to the increase with shear rate of the macroscopic friction coefficient μ∗ through a direct positive contribution to shear stress, a negative contribution to normal stresses (enhancing the strength of the contact network), and microstructural changes affecting the network of contacts and liquid bridges.

An investigation of the filtration performance and mechanism of oil-solid mixed particles on filter materials with different wettability

In the process of air filtration, filter materials may encounter oil-solid mixed particles from various sources such as industry and household, and the influence of filter material with different wettability on the filtration performance of oil-solid mixed particles has not been fully reported. The objective of this study was to prepare filter materials with varying wettability properties and investigate their filtration performance for oil-solid mixed particles with diverse oil contents. In this study, four filter materials were prepared using the impregnation method, exhibiting 0° (superoleophilic), 46° (oleophilic), 90° and 122° (oleophobic) oil contact angles. The oil-solid mixed particles with varying oil contents were loaded on the four different filter materials. The loading behavior of the filter materials was characterized from two aspects: macroscopic loading behavior (changes in pressure drop and DHC) and microscopic particle deposition behavior. The results demonstrated that, under the conditions of 25% and 50% oil content, the enhanced liquid bridge force between the oil-solid mixed particles on the oleophobic filter material facilitated the formation of a loose and porous cake layer structure compared with other filter materials, resulting in a lower growth rate of pressure drop and a higher dust holding capacity (DHC). However, in 75% and 100% oil content environments, the superoleophilic filter material owned a remarkably high affinity for oil particles compared with other filter materials, leading to the gradual formation of an oil film structure on the filter material, yielding lower the growth rate of pressure drop and higher DHC. These findings shed light on the mechanism of particle deposition under diverse filtration conditions and are applicable to the filtration of various oil-solid mixed particles over a wide range of oil contents.

Gravitational modes of convection in water liquid bridges

The modes of pure buoyant (thermogravitational) convection emerging in a liquid bridge of water (Pr ≅ 6.1), uniformly heated from below and cooled from above are investigated experimentally by means of a microscale facility, a related laser-cut technique (used to illuminate isodense tracers dispersed in the liquid) and a particle image velocimetry method. In particular, the following conditions are examined: aspect ratio (A = length/diameter) in the range 0.3 ≤ A ≤ 0.9, volume ratio 0.7 ≤ S ≤ 1.3, and Rayleigh number spanning the interval from the initial quiescent state up to the development of oscillatory motion. A multitude of patterns is obtained, revealing the coexistence of different branches of steady flows in the space of parameters in the form of multiple solutions. These can evolve into oscillatory states featured by disturbances with the characteristics of standing waves (a kind of rocking motion). The analysis largely relies on a novel approach where the position of the center of the main vortex of buoyant nature established in the liquid bridge is carefully monitored in space. The related trajectory is used to discern the flow spatial degrees of freedom, which are progressively enabled as the temperature difference is increased. It is shown that the effective volume of liquid held by surface tension between the hot and cold walls can have an appreciable impact on the onset of unsteadiness and the related oscillation frequency.

Numerical study on the rupture behavior of funicular liquid bridge between three spheres

Owing to the increase in saturation, unsaturated soil slopes are prone to experiencing landslides and mudflows during the rainy seasons. As liquid volume rises, the funicular regime between multiple particles gradually replaces the pendular regime within unsaturated granular soil. This study establishes a numerical model of a funicular liquid bridge between three spherical particles using the Surface Evolver software. The equilibrium state of the funicular bridge was examined using energy-minimization methods. The effects of liquid volume, contact angle, upper particle-pair gap, and separation distance on the capillary force and rupture distance were investigated. Finally, the relationship between capillary force and rupture distance is further elucidated based on meniscus profiles.

Microscale Mechanical Behaviour Evaluation of Unsaturated Granular Soils via 4D in situ Triaxial Test on μ-CT

Owing to the complex structure and stress history of unsaturated soils, the micro-mechanism of effective stress theory in unsaturated soil mechanics remains unelucidated. In this study, we developed a miniature triaxial test apparatus for a micro-focus computed tomography (μ-CT) scanning system for the microscopic study of the mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soil. By comparing the results from the developed mini-triaxial test device system with those from a conventional triaxial device, its experimental accuracy was verified. Micron-level high-resolution CT images of sheared specimens at different strain stages were obtained using the device for in situ suction-control triaxial compression 4D (3-Dimensional+Dynamic) tests with a μ-CT scanning system. The multiscale evolution behaviours of the physical parameters (porosity and degree of saturation) of the specimens corresponded to the stress–strain relationship revealed by the in situ test. Triaxial shearing drains out the pore water, and the decomposition of the largest water clusters causes the quantity of small-volume liquid clusters to increase, shifting the distribution of the interfacial areas. The degree of saturation scale indicates the presence of liquid bridges within the shear band that provide interparticle cementation effect and thus enhance the global strength of unsaturated granular soil specimens.

Dedusting and inhibition of methane-coal dust hybrid explosion by ultrafine water mist containing SDS surfactant

The dust reduction and inhibition effects of ultrafine water mist containing SDS anionic surfactant on methane-coal dust explosion were experimentally investigated. Compared with pure ultrafine water mist, the Pmax and (dP/dt) max of 0.5% SDS water mist were reduced by 9.18% and 27.2%, respectively, and the explosion induction period was prolonged from 102 ms to 205 ms. SDS water mist can effectively inhibit the intensity and propagation of the flame, forming the formation of irregular fronts and unevenly colored orange flames after multiple extinguishments in the explosion induction period. In addition, the addition of SDS surfactant promotes the formation of liquid bridges between water mist and coal dust particles. The contact angle of coal dust is reduced by 38.9% and the sink time is reduced to 30 ms. This paper presents a new direction and choice for achieving simultaneous dust reduction and explosion suppression in coal mines.

Effect of Temperature on the Liquid Bridging Force while Maintaining Physical Stability in Solid-Liquid Mixed Fuel.

The temperature factor is an important factor affecting the intercomponent forces while maintaining the physical stability of solid-liquid mixed fuels. Through self-designed experimental equipment, feedback was provided on the fuel stratification and density distribution uniformity with solid-liquid volume ratios of 1.25:1 and 1:1 under different temperature conditions. As the viscosity of the liquid increased with decreasing temperature, the ability of the fuel to overcome particle deposition was enhanced. Although none of the three fuel ratios with a solid-liquid volume ratio of 1.25:1 showed stratification, the differences in the liquid bridging forces of the components resulted in an increasingly uneven distribution of density with increasing surface tension of the liquid components. By analyzing the imaging results and measuring the liquid bridge force, it was found that the fuel with a nitromethane mass ratio of 40% had the lowest temperature effect on the solid-liquid contact area and the most uniform density distribution. Properly reducing the surface tension of liquid components could effectively resist the influence of the temperature on the liquid bridge force while maintaining the physical stability of the fuel.

Evolution of anisotropic capillarity in unsaturated granular media within the pendular regime

While the shear behavior of granular soils is directly related to the microstructure of contacts which often leads to the coaxiality between Cauchy stress and Satake fabric tensors, it is generally accepted by the geomechanics and geotechnical engineering community that the capillary effects are isotropic. At low saturation levels, however, the pore fluid tends to form interparticle menisci that can also manifest an anisotropic structure, which may result in the development of anisotropic capillarity in wetted granular media. To study the interplay between the solid grain contacts and the liquid bridges at the micro-scales, this study adopts a coupled discrete element method that utilizes a linear contact model combined with a capillary model, and explores their effects by conducting a series of numerical experiments. The distributions of contact and capillary force orientations during the experiment are further investigated to better understand how their alignments affect the global response of the granular assembly subjected to a deviatoric loading. The results indicate that the global shear stress response is not only affected by the contact fabric but also by the network of liquid bridges, and we also observe that the particles may lose contact while the pendular menisci may not be destroyed during the elastic unloading.

Numerical study of head-on collisions between two glass microsphere droplets

The collision of molten glass microsphere droplets represents a fundamental phenomenon in spheronization, yet a comprehensive understanding of this process remains elusive. A numerical simulation is conducted to investigate the head-on collision dynamics of two molten glass microsphere droplets at varying Weber numbers, by integrating the level set and volume of fluid methods. Three distinct collision regimes are identified: merging, separation into satellite-free droplets, and separation leading to the formation of satellite droplets. Furthermore, the critical Weber numbers delineating the different regimes are presented. Examination of axial and radial variations in the droplets reveals the existence of five distinct states spanning the three collision regimes. The distribution of external vortices around the droplets directly influences the outcomes of droplet collisions. High-pressure regions and high-pressure liquid bridges within droplets serve as key factors in determining the merging or separation of the droplets. Region of high pressure at the end of the liquid bridge acts as a critical indicator for distinguishing between collision separations with and without satellite droplet generation. Observations of velocity and pressure distributions in separations that produce satellite droplets are consistent with the end pinch-off mechanism. This study holds significant implications for controlling high sphericity during the spheronization of glass microsphere droplets.

Binding mechanism in bio-briquette prepared with wheat straw and lignite by mechanical thermal expression process

ABSTRACT In this study, bio-briquette was prepared with lignite and wheat straw by mechanical thermal expression (MTE) process and analyzed using an optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Under the combined action of thermal and mechanical energy, the binding mechanism between lignite and biomass in bio-briquette was discussed. Results showed that the compressive strength of bio-briquette increased with the increase of pressure and temperature, which positively affected the bonding of material particles. Lignite particles were wrapped into the network formed by interconnected fibers of different lengths. During the MTE process, the liquid bridges were built among the biomass undergoing glass transition, water, and partially melted lignite, which became solid bridges after briquette formation, enhancing the compressive strength of bio-briquette.

Cohesive particle–fluid systems: An overview of their CFD simulation

AbstractSolid particles may experience different kinds of cohesive forces, which cause them to form agglomerates and affect their flow in multiphase systems. When such systems are simulated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs, appropriate modelling tools must be included to reproduce this feature. In this review, these strategies are addressed for various systems and scales. After an introduction of the different forces (van der Waals, electrostatic, liquid bridge forces, etc.), the modelling approaches are categorized under three methodologies. For diluted slurries of very fine particles, many researchers succeeded with pseudo‐single phase approaches, employing a model for the non‐Newtonian rheology. This was especially popular for sludges in anaerobic digestions or certain types of soils. In other cases, continuum‐based approaches seem to be more adequate, including cohesiveness in the kinetic theory of granular flows or the restitution coefficient. Geldart‐A particles experiencing van der Waals forces are the primary focus of such studies. Finally, when each particle is modelled as a discrete element, the cohesive force can be directly specified; this is especially widespread for the wet fluidization case. For each of these approaches, a general overview of the main strategies, achievements, and limits is provided.

Study on jetting droplet formation regime in a low-speed annular shear flow field

This study aims to explore the mechanism of droplet generation and the change rule of liquid bridge in an annular shear flow field. With the help of a two-phase system of continuous phase (deionized water)-dispersed phase (fluorescent oil), the process of droplet generation under the jetting mechanism was captured using a camera. By studying the effect of the dispersed phase flow rate on the length of the liquid bridge, it was found that the volume flow rate of the dispersed phase is positively correlated with the frequency of droplet formation and the droplet size, and that the distance of the liquid bridge is also positively correlated with the droplet size under the jetting mechanism. Besides, a prediction mechanism for the maximum stable droplet under the jetting mechanism is proposed based on the droplet formation process.

Falling, deformation, and coalescence of droplet in model waxy oil under an electric field

Electrocoalescence technology can efficiently dehydrate waxy crude oil but the mechanisms are still unclear. Herein, the continuous microscopic behaviors of droplet falling, deformation, and coalescence were experimentally investigated to clarify the dynamic response mechanism of droplet in waxy oil under an electric field. The results showed the droplet falling under both gravity and electrostatic attraction to deform by the electric field force. Moreover, the expansion and clamping of the liquid bridge resulted from the competition between electric field force and capillary force. However, the precipitated wax crystals reduced the kinetic energy of the droplet and affected its external circulation, thus delaying the falling time. In addition, the wax crystals with interfacial activity adsorbed on the oil-water interface and cross-linked to form a spatial network structure, thereby weakening droplet deformation, hindering liquid film drainage, and inhibiting liquid bridge expansion. Importantly, the droplet adsorbed wax crystals exhibited interfacial elasticity, which makes them more inclined to partial coalescence. The low-frequency pulsed direct current (PUDC) electric field with high strength intermittent effect displayed the most obvious inhibition effect on the wax crystals. Overall, these findings look promising for future design and optimization of high-efficiency electric dehydrators and related fields.

Modes of Nanodroplet Formation and Growth on an Ultrathin Water Film.

Using nanobubbles as geometrical confinements, we create a thin water film (∼10 nm) in a graphene liquid cell and investigate the evolution of its instability at the nanoscale under transmission electron microscopy. The breakdown of the water films, resulting in the subsequent formation and growth of nanodroplets, is visualized and generalized into different modes. We identified distinct droplet formation and growth modes by analyzing the dynamic processes involving 61 droplets and 110 liquid bridges within 31 Graphene Liquid Cells (GLCs). Droplet formation is influenced by their positions in GLCs, taking on a semicircular shape at the edge and a circular shape in the middle. Growth modes include liquid mass transfer driven by Plateau-Rayleigh instability and merging processes in and out-of-plane of the graphene interface. Droplet growth can lead to the formation of liquid bridges for which we obtain multiview projections. Data analysis reveals the general dynamics of liquid bridges, including drawing liquids from neighboring residual water films, merging with surrounding droplets, and merging with other liquid bridges. Our experimental observations provide insights into fluid transport at the nanoscale.