Fluid Particle Coalescence: Film Drainage Modeling Including the Effect of Surface Rheology

Abstract

Coalescence of fluid particles is an important phenomenon that plays a significant role in a wide range of natural and industrial processes. This work focuses on the film drainage models employed in coalescence modeling, with a specific emphasis on the effect of the interfacial/surface rheology, and tries to identify the conditions under which coalescence occurs. The drainage models are simplified based on the lubrication theory and combined with the boundary integral framework. The effects of the approach velocity of the particles, the interfacial mobility, the intermolecular forces, and the viscous and elastic responses of the particle interfaces on the coalescence behavior and the coalescence time are investigated. For the viscous and viscoelastic interfaces respectively the Boussinesq and the surface Upper Convected Maxwell models are used. Furthermore, a critical approach velocity that separates the coalescence and the rebound regimes is defined and given as a function of key model parameters