COLLISION AND COALESCENCE OF DISPERSED DROPS IN TURBULENT LIQUID FLOW

Abstract

The collision and coalescence of drops are studied in turbulent liquid flow. From the standpoint of collision frequency, the random motion of drops is found quite analogous to that of molecules assumed in simple gas kinetic theory. The process of coalescence of drops is followed, and it is found that two drops will coalesce immediately on collision in the case when they will finally coalesce. The coalescence fraction may be determined by the kinetic energy at the instant of collision, but the fraction is surprisingly small and cannot accede to the order of 10^-1 in the range observed.