Shape of liquid drops moving in liquid media

Abstract An investigation of the effects of various physical properties, drop size, and drop velocity on drop shape was carried out for nonoscillating liquid drops falling through stationary liquid continuous phases. The data of forty‐five dispersed‐continuous phase systems were studied with continuous phase viscosities varying from 0.3 to 46 centipoise and interfacial tensions varying from 0.3 to 42 dyne/cm. A theoretical relation was obtained from the Taylor and Acrivos analysis which quite accurately predicts drop eccentricities for drop Reynolds numbers less than about 20, but is highly inaccurate at higher Reynolds numbers. Relatively simple empirical relations involving the Weber number, Eötvös number, and viscosity ratio were obtained which enable the prediction of the eccentricity of nonoscillating drops over a wide range of Reynolds numbers (6.0 to 1,354) with average deviations of 6 to 8%. These relations may be useful in the estimation of the interfacial area, velocity, and continuous phase mass transfer coefficient of drops distorted from spherical shape.