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									| ArticleDroplet dynamics in a bifurcating channel
			
				| Authors: | Carlson, A.C., Do-Quang, M., Amberg, G.A. |  
				| Document Type: | Article |  
				| Pubstate: | Published |  
				| Journal: | International Journal of Multi-Phase Flow |  
				| Volume: | 36  
					397 |  
				| Year: | 2010 |  AbstractIn the present paper we present a phenomenological description of droplet dynamics in a bifurcating channel that is based on three-dimensional numerical experiments using the Phase Field theory. Droplet dynamics is investigated in a junction, which has symmetric outflow conditions in its daughter branches. We identify two different flow regimes as the droplets interact with the tip of the bifurcation, splitting and non-splitting. A distinct criterion for the flow regime transition is found based on the initial droplet volume and the Capillary (Ca) number. The Rayleigh–Plateau instability is identified as a driving mechanism for the droplet breakup close to the threshold between the splitting and non-splitting regime.
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