Emulsification in turbulent flow:: 3. Daughter drop-size distribution

Systematic set of experiments is performed to clarify the effects of several factors on the size distribution of the daughter drops, which are formed as a result of drop breakage during emulsification in turbulent flow. The effects of oil viscosity, ηDηD, interfacial tension, σ, and rate of energy dissipation in the turbulent flow, ε  , are studied. As starting oil–water premixes we use emulsions containing monodisperse oil drops, which have been generated by membrane emulsification. By passing these premixes through a narrow-gap homogenizer, working in turbulent regime of emulsification, we monitor the changes in the drop-size distribution with the emulsification time. The experimental data are analyzed by using a new numerical procedure, which is based on the assumption (supported by the experimental data) that the probability for formation of daughter drops with diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the stable drops, d

Graphical abstractDepending on oil viscosity, “daughter” and “satellite” drops with different size distributions are formed after drop breakage in turbulent flow.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide