Electro-hydrodynamic behavior and interface instability of double emulsion droplets under high electric field

- Simulation of double emulsion droplet coupling Navier Stokes equation, leaky-dielectric theory and level set method.
- Oblate deformation of the shell/continuous interface deviates from Taylor's theory at larger volume fraction of core.
- High electric field causes double droplet break-up at the poles or along the equator.
- Larger decrease in critical capillary number at larger volume fraction of core for oblate-prolate case.
- Electric field drives eccentric drop towards shell center or towards shell/continuous interface.

Dynamics of multiphase flow under high voltage has attracted extensive research interests due to its wide industrial applications. In this paper, numerical solution of electro-hydrodynamic behavior and interface instability of double emulsion droplet is presented. Level set method and leaky dielectric model coupled with Navier-Stokes equation are used to solve the electro-hydrodynamic problem. The method is validated against the theoretical analysis and the simulation results of the other researchers. Double emulsion droplet with inner droplet (core) and outer droplet (shell) phases immersed in continuous phase is subjected to high electric field. Shell/continuous and core/shell interfaces of the droplet undergo prolate-oblate or oblate-prolate deformation depending on the extent of the penetration of electric potential and sense of charge distribution at the interfaces. The deformation of the shell deviates from theory at larger volume fraction of core for oblate-prolate case whereas it follows theory for prolate-oblate case. The interfaces showing oblate-prolate deformation split at the poles whereas, for prolate-oblate, they split away along the equator. The re-union of the interfaces under high electric field results with production of daughter droplet at the core. The large decrease in critical electric field for oblate-prolate case shows their less interface stability at larger volume fraction of core. When the core is eccentric, the electric field drives it towards the shell center or to the shell/continuous interface depending on electrical parameters. The study is beneficial in understanding the electro-hydrodynamic behavior of emulsion droplets and efficient design of related industrial processes.

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