Abstract

This is a story about the matching of experimental filament stretch and breakup data obtained by Dr Simon Butler at CEB with high level numerical simulation carried out by Prof Rudy Valette and his team at CEMEF Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France. It is an example where reliable experimental data is “essential” in order to validate a numerical modelling scheme and then where numerical modelling can systematically explore variables such as surface tension and yield stress, which are both difficult parameters to vary systematically in the experimental “real world”. In terms of science and engineering the work helps the understanding of how droplets can form when a particular fluid is subjected to large extension rates and illustrates the very important role that surface tension and rheology plays in forming drops, filaments and breaking threads.