Strain-driven drop breakup in turbulence
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: We investigate the mechanisms of drop breakup in homogeneous isotropic turbulence using 200 direct numerical simulations at Taylor microscale Reynolds number Re λ = 58 and Weber number We = 1.82. We characterise three distinct stages in drop evolution: equilibration, dynamic equilibrium, and breakup. The survival likelihood follows an exponential decay with rate κ = 0.24/ t d , where t d is the eddy turnover time at the drop diameter d . Analysis of the turbulent strain field reveals that breakup is preceded by high-intensity extensional strain events occurring approximately 1.0 t d before fragmentation. During this critical period, the drop’s principal axis aligns strongly with the extensional direction of the flow, reaching a maximum length of 3.68d at breakup. The drop’s deformation response to the straining flow exhibits a time lag of 0.122 t d . These results provide new insights into the coupling between turbulent strain and interfacial dynamics, thereby paving the way for the development of accurate reduced-order models of drop breakup.
Institutions: University of Bremen, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7161004366