Numerical simulation of droplet shapes in external electric field, gravity and surface tension

Tan Il Sung, Hong Soon Choi, Young Sun Kim, Il Han Park

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The electrowetting is a phenomenon that the shape of droplet is deformed by external electric field. The most of electrowetting studies have been presented by researchers with mechanical viewpoint. In this paper, we present a numerical method to calculate the droplet shape by taking into account the effects of external electric field, surface tension and gravity. The numerical analysis for shape calculation is formulated by using the equilibrium condition of hydrostatical pressure in the coupled system of external electric field and surface tension in the presence of gravity. The model is numerically implemented and coupled using a standard finite element procedure. The proposed method is numerically tested and validated in a shaping problem of water droplet placed above a conductor coated by dielectric material in external electric field. The electrowetting phenomenon was successfully modeled and analyzed by the proposed approach.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Computational Methods for Coupled Problems in Science and Engineering, COUPLED PROBLEMS 2011
Pages404-412
Number of pages9
StatePublished - 2011
Event4th International Conference on Computational Methods for Coupled Problems in Science and Engineering, COUPLED PROBLEMS 2011 - Kos, Greece
Duration: 20 Jun 201122 Jun 2011

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Computational Methods for Coupled Problems in Science and Engineering, COUPLED PROBLEMS 2011

Conference

Conference4th International Conference on Computational Methods for Coupled Problems in Science and Engineering, COUPLED PROBLEMS 2011
Country/TerritoryGreece
CityKos
Period20/06/1122/06/11

Keywords

  • Electric body force
  • Electrowetting
  • Multiphysics Problems
  • Shape deformation
  • Surface tension

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