Research Projects

Free surface flow driven by body forces over a vertical cylindrical substrate is crucial for various applications, including coating cylinders, fibers, and wires. The flow problem is scientifically interesting, with the evolving boundary of the liquid-gas interface being a significant challenge. The azimuthal curvature, in addition to the axial curvature at the liquid-gas interface, significantly affects flow, leading to the Rayleigh-Pleatau instability in viscous liquid-jets. Flow over a cylindrical substrate also undergoes instability, resulting in the formation of beads. This study aims to extend theoretical and experimental understanding of flow instability of a colloidal suspension on the exterior of a cylindrical geometry. The study presents a comprehensive study and lab-scale proof-of-concept for the effect of colloids using regular-spaced beads for enhanced oil recovery and inkjet printing. The novel aspect of the proposal is modeling a colloidal suspension on a cylindrical substrate with linear and non-linear theory, enhancing the model by considering the full curvature of the beads, and experimentally validating the model using a single non-isothermal cylinder. Tertiary oil recovery can be made more efficient by manipulating the colloidal concentration in the oil.