Tan, Benedict Chuan-Wei, Vlaskamp, J. H. A., Denissenko, Petr and Thomas, P. J. (2016) Cavity formation in the wake of falling spheres submerging into a stratified two-layer system of immiscible liquids. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 790 . pp. 33-56. doi:10.1017/jfm.2016.10

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Abstract

We experimentally study the cavities forming in the wake of rigid spheres when submerging into a stratified, two-layer system of immiscible, quiescent liquids comprising a thin layer of oil above a deep pool of water. The results obtained for our two-layer system are compared with data from the literature for the corresponding type of cavities formed when spheres enter a homogeneous liquid that is not covered by an oil layer. The discussion and the data analysis reveal that the oil coating acquired by the spheres while propagating through the thin oil layer, before entering the pool of water underneath, substantially affects qualitative and quantitative aspects of the dynamics associated with the cavity formation. In particular, we observe the formation of a ripple-like pattern on the cavity walls which is not known to exist when spheres enter a homogeneous liquid. The data analysis suggests that the ripple patterns form as a consequence of a two-dimensional instability arising due to the shear between the oil layer coating the spheres and the ambient water.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0022-1120
Official Date:	March 2016
Dates:	Date Event March 2016 Published 4 January 2016 Accepted 24 June 2015 Submitted
Volume:	790
Page Range:	pp. 33-56
DOI:	10.1017/jfm.2016.10
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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