Hydrodynamics coalescence collision of three liquid drops in 3D with smoothed particle hydrodynamics

The Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method (SPH) has been useful to model continuous fluid. This method is employed to obtain approximate numerical solutions of the equations in fluid dynamics by replacing the fluid with a set of particles. These particles may be interpreted as corresponding to interpolation points from which properties of the fluid can be determined. The SPH method is particularly useful when the fluid motion produces a big deformation and a large velocity of the whole fluid. In this study, the SPH method is applied to simulate for the first time the hydrodynamic collision of three equal-size liquid drops in the three-dimensional space. Ranges of value for the droplets collision velocity are chosen giving rise to the following different results for the collision: permanent coalescence, fragmentation, and flocculation of the drops. The velocity vector fields formed inside the drops during the collision process are presented. Three possible scenarios for fragmentation of liquid drops are shown. Multiple satellite drops arise from the ligaments on the surface of the formed bigger drop.