Head-on collision of two immiscible droplets of different components

We numerically study the head-on collisions of two immiscible droplets of different components and focus on the effects of droplet inertia and interfaces, which are expected to play a crucial role in the interaction between the two droplets. A ternary-fluid diffuse-interface method is used here after being validated by comparing against experiments of the collision between an aqueous droplet and a silicone oil droplet. In order to figure out how the droplet inertia and interfaces affect the dynamic behavior after the collision, axisymmetric simulations are performed with various Weber number We and surface tension ratio λ, i.e., the ratio of the surface tension coefficient of the liquid–liquid to the liquid–gas interfaces. Their effects on the film thickness, maximal deformation of the colliding droplets, and the corresponding contact time are investigated. To describe the collision dynamics, we propose an equivalent surface tension σ* based on the analysis of the energy conservation and morphology of the colliding droplets. Using the equivalent surface tension σ*, we theoretically predict the film thickness, maximal spreading time, and deformation of the colliding droplets. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the numerical results.