Interactions between fine combustion droplets

Interactions between fine combustion droplets were directly observed using microscopic flow visualization and high speed photography. The observations revealed “attracting–revolving–repulsing” interactions between the droplets. Force analyses showed that the traditionally considered interparticle forces, including drag, gravitation, the Coulomb force and the van der Waals force, cannot explain these interactions. However, the induced dipoles on the droplets due to the non-uniform distribution of surface charges on the fine droplets have important influence on such interactions. Therefore, the inter-dipole forces must be taken into account in the interaction force analysis as well as the Coulomb force between the net charges. The inter-dipole force includes components in the radial and azimuthal directions and is inversely proportional to r4. This force causes the particles to revolve and repel each other at small distance. The combined effects of the inter-dipole force and the traditionally considered forces give a complete explanation for the particle interactions.