Numerical Simulation of Large Deformation of Inviscid Drops

Numerical simulation is used to investigate the motion of inviscid drops undergoing a large deformation of the free surface. The equations of motion are solved by a boundary element method in which the free surface of the drop is represented by a moving grid. This method is used to simulate the motion of two drops colliding and coalescing. The results of this study include numerical predictions of the configuration of the drop during coalescence and the kinetic and potential energies. These results are used to examine the way in which surface tension and inertia affect the fluid dynamics of coalescence.