Author/Authors :
Gurupatham, S. K. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA , Sooklal, V. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA , Hensen, A. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA , Conner, M. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA , Sayedzada, M. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA , Shah, D. Department of Mechanical Engineering - Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA
Abstract :
It was shown recently that small particles and powders spontaneously disperse on liquid surfaces when they come in contact with the interface for the first time (Figure 2). This happens due to the combined effect of the capillary force, buoyant weight of the particle and the viscous drag that the particles experience when they encounter the liquid surface. The particles undergo oscillations normal to the interface before they come to the equilibrium position on the interface. These oscillations, in turn, induce a flow on the interface which disperses the particles radially outward. This phenomenon has a significant role in the pollination of sea plants such as “Ruppia” in which the formation of “pollen rafts” is the first step which results from the spontaneous dispersion of their pollens on the water surface. This work investigates, experimentally, the influence of temperature of the liquid on which this dispersion occurs. It was
observed that the frequency of oscillations of the particles decreased with the increase in the temperature of the liquid. It is because the magnitude of capillary force that the particle experiences also decreased when the temperature of the liquid increased.
Keywords :
Adsorption , Surface Tension , Particle Dispersion Fluid–Liquid Interface , Capillary Force , Viscous Drag
