A simplified model of electrocoalescence of two close water droplets in oil

The conditions of electrocoalescence of close droplets of conducting liquid suspended in insulating oil under the action of an electric field are investigated. Previous results are first recalled and discussed. A physical picture allows justifying the asymptotic laws obtained for coalescence conditions of very close drops under a given potential difference. An extrapolation to the coalescence conditions of close droplets subjected to a uniform electric field is proposed and shortly discussed.