Head-on collision of electrically charged droplets

• Interaction between two identical charged droplets is investigated numerically.
• Two conducting droplets carrying charges of the same polarity may be attracted.
• The number of the satellite droplets increases with an increase in charge.

Interaction between two identical charged droplets is investigated numerically. In the first part, the mechanism of Coulomb attraction between two conducting droplets is investigated. Numerical simulation shows that two conducting droplets carrying charges of the same polarity under some conditions may be electrically attracted.The second part of the study concerns the collision dynamics of two identical dielectric charged droplets. At low Weber numbers, two droplets carrying charges of the same polarity can repel each other. As Weber number increases, the drop collision leads to their coalescence. With Weber number further increased, satellite droplets are formed.