Correlations for transverse motion of liquid drops on fibers

The movement of drops on fibers is encountered in many processes such as coalescence filtration, de-misters, protective garments such as rain coats, and in applications of liquid coatings onto fabrics. The motions of drops on fibers are not easily predicted and few correlations are available. The orientation of the fiber relative to air flow significantly affects the rate of movement of drops on fibers. In this paper an empirical correlation is developed to calculate the average drag coefficient for drops detaching from a fiber due to gas flow perpendicular to the fiber axis. A second correlation is developed to predict the fractional number of drops that move in the transverse air flow.