Deformation and Disintegration Behavior for Water Drops Falling through an Oil Phase in a DC Electric Field

Deformation and disintegration behavior for single water drops falling through a silicone oil phase in a DC electric field were studied experimentally. The experimental maximum deformation degree of the drops just before their disintegration agreed approximately with the theoretical value proposed by Taylor, but the experimental critical field strength for drop disintegration was lower about 26% than his theoretical one. Two types of electrical disintegration for falling drops were observed depending on the size of the drops : a small deformed drop was disintegrated by ejecting a series of smaller drops at its sharp pointed ends, while a large drop was elongated as a rod-like shape and immediately disintegrated into several small drops.