International Journal of Multiphase Flow, Vol.25, No.3, 531-550, 1999
On a droplet's response to acoustic excitation
The unsteady, nonlinear response of a liquid droplet to an imposed acoustic perturbation has been simulated using an algorithm based on boundary element methods (BEMs). The code was used to study the influence of the acoustic frequency, intensity, and gas/liquid density ratio upon the droplet behavior. Heightened droplet responses were observed for frequencies near the harmonics of the second and fourth mode frequencies. Several types of droplet atomization have been observed as the acoustic intensity is increased. Increasing gas density (at fixed excitation conditions) also heightens droplet response.