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Crown sealing and buckling instability during water entry of spheres

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2016

J. O. Marston*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3121, USA
T. T. Truscott
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4130, USA
N. B. Speirs
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4130, USA
M. M. Mansoor
Affiliation:
Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
S. T. Thoroddsen
Affiliation:
Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia Clean Combustion Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
*
Email address for correspondence: jeremy.marston@ttu.edu

Abstract

We present new observations from an experimental investigation of the classical problem of the crown splash and sealing phenomena observed during the impact of spheres onto quiescent liquid pools. In the experiments, a 6 m tall vacuum chamber was used to provide the required ambient conditions from atmospheric pressure down to $1/16\text{th}$ of an atmosphere, whilst high-speed videography was exploited to focus primarily on the above-surface crown formation and ensuing dynamics, paying particular attention to the moments just prior to the surface seal. In doing so, we have observed a buckling-type azimuthal instability of the crown. This instability is characterised by vertical striations along the crown, between which thin films form that are more susceptible to the air flow and thus are drawn into the closing cavity, where they atomize to form a fine spray within the cavity. To elucidate to the primary mechanisms and forces at play, we varied the sphere diameter, liquid properties and ambient pressure. Furthermore, a comparison between the entry of room-temperature spheres, where the contact line pins around the equator, and Leidenfrost spheres (i.e. an immersed superheated sphere encompassed by a vapour layer), where there is no contact line, indicates that the buckling instability appears in all crown sealing events, but is intensified by the presence of a pinned contact line.

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Type
Papers
Copyright
© 2016 Cambridge University Press 

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Marston et al. supplementary movie

Video sequence showing a 10 mm-diameter steel sphere impacting onto a quiescent water surface at 10 m/s at atmospheric pressure. Re = 4.9 x 104, Fr = 2 x 103, We = 1.37 x 104.

Download Marston et al. supplementary movie(Video)
Video 1.5 MB

Marston et al. supplementary movie

Video sequence captured from above with a down-angle to focus on the rear wall of the crown splash created during the impact of a 10 mm-diameter sphere onto water at 10 m/s. Re = 5 x 104, Fr = 2 x 103, We = 6.9 x 103.

Download Marston et al. supplementary movie(Video)
Video 1 MB

Marston et al. supplementary movie

Close-up of the entry of a 20 mm-diameter sphere into water viewed from below the surface. The “sawtooth” contact line is pinned around the equator. Re = 8 x 104, Fr = 6.5 x 102, We = 8.8 x 103.

Download Marston et al. supplementary movie(Video)
Video 845.1 KB

Marston et al. supplementary movie

Video sequence of the entry of heated 15 mm-diameter steel sphere (T ≈ 200 oC) into perfluorohexane at 1.01 m/s. Re = 1.17 x 104, Fr = 13.8, We = 1.1 x 103.

Download Marston et al. supplementary movie(Video)
Video 717.1 KB