The Deformation and Mass Loss of Liquid Drops in a High-Speed Flow of Gas.

Richard Collins, Andrew F. Charwat

Expert InsightsPublished 1971

Analyses the effect on a drop of liquid suddenly placed in a shock wave, in terms of a nearly radial outward flow within the drop, to estimate its mass when it strikes a high-speed vehicle. Wave instability in a thin film is the mass loss mechanism. Liquid is lost in a very fine mist, principally due to the growth of capillary waves on the windward surface radiating out from the stagnation point, and at discrete intervals because of the time required for the waves to grow to an unstable amplitude. The drop shape reestablishes itself between losses. In terms of dimensionless time and dynamic pressure, predicting mass loss from time or distance traveled depends on the gas/ liquid density ratio and the critical thickness parameter. Results of this model agree well with shock tube experiments from Mach 1.5 to 12. Estimates of droplet mass, not easily obtainable experimentally, are given for subsequent analysis of droplet erosion phenomena. 37 pp. Ref. (MW)

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Collins, Richard and Andrew F. Charwat, The Deformation and Mass Loss of Liquid Drops in a High-Speed Flow of Gas. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1971. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P4685.html.
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