NUMEV Seminar: "Atomization and aerosolization: a fluid mechanics perspective."

Atomization, or aerosolization as it is known in Covid studies, is a striking example of the huge complexity of multiphase flow turbulence. The theory of atomization starts with the consideration of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. To make these theories predictive of the length scales and frequencies observed in experiment is a surprisingly difficult task and is still being investigated in some aspects in full three-dimensional simulations.

In recent years, numerical simulations and experiments have illustrated the important role played by thin liquid sheets and ligaments. Moreover, the importance of aerosolization phenomena in respiratory disease transmission has motivated specific experiments such as those of the "cough machine." In that setup, the impulsive air flow over a thin liquid layer can be investigated. This allows the influence of liquid viscosity on sheet thickness and droplet sizes to be studied.