A unified model for the micro-explosion of emulsified droplets of oil and water

A general model of the micro-explosion of emulsified droplets, suitable for both oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O), is presented. Using this new model, a definition of micro-explosion strength is proposed; also the effects of various parameters on micro-explosion strength are discussed. Although emulsified oils have two different structures and different processes of forming an oil membrane, the definition of micro-explosion strength and its calculation are identical in the general model. The results show that the predictions of the general model agree with experiments. Furthermore, some extra effects, such as the properties of a surfactant, the solubility of a gas and the deformation of a droplet under an aerodynamic force are also discussed.