English

Tip streaming from drops flowing in a spiral microchannel

Fluid Dynamics 2008-10-10 v1

Abstract

This fluid dynamics video shows drops of water being transported by a mean flow of oil, in a microchannel shaped as a logarithmic spiral. The channel shape means that the drops are submitted to an increasing shear and elongation as they flow nearer to the center of the spiral. A critical point is reached at which a long singular tail is observed behind the drops, indicating that the drops are accelerating. This is called "Tip streaming".

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0810.1587,
  title  = {Tip streaming from drops flowing in a spiral microchannel},
  author = {Simon Molesin and Charles N. Baroud},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0810.1587},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

Abstract accompanying movie to the Gallery of Fluid Motion: APS-DFD 2008

R2 v1 2026-06-21T11:28:54.324Z