Electric Field Modulated Drop Formation from Orifices

We investigate the effect of an electric field on the formation and breakup of droplets by employing axisymmetric numerical simulations. The volume-of-fluid approach is used for capturing the interface motion, and the fluids are assumed as leaky dielectric. The simulations reveal that the droplets formed can be either oblate or prolate in shape, which is determined by the relative dissimilarity of fluid properties across the interface. The Coulombic forces are found to be the dominant electrical forces that influence the droplet morphology. Additionally, the nature of circulatory flow occurring inside the drop can be significantly different, depending on the relative combination of the electrical properties of the drop and surrounding fluids.