The droplet size can influence the application of a spray system. We apply grey theory in establishing a model of forecasting droplet size. The example used in this study shows that this method is precise in forecasting the droplet size, and is helpful to choose the other parameters of a spray system within a certain droplet size.

Achieving the increasingly fast mixing requirements posed by the chemical, biological, and life science community for confined microchannel droplet flows remains an engineering challenge. The viscous and surface tension forces that often dominate microflows undermine fast, efficient mixing. A novel mixing arrangement based on droplet collisions has been developed that significantly improves mix...

In this work, the manipulation of an electrically charged droplet bouncing on a vertically vibrated bath is investigated. When a horizontal, uniform, and static electric field is applied to it, a motion is induced. The droplet is accelerated when the droplet is small. On the other hand, large droplets appear to move with a constant speed that depends linearly on the applied electrical field. In...

Lipid droplets are the universal cellular organelles for the transient or long-term storage of lipids. The number, size and composition of lipid droplets vary greatly within cells in a homogenous population as well as in different cell types. The variability of intracellular lipid-storage organelles reflects the diversification of lipid droplet composition and function. Lipid droplet diversific...

We report an infrared (IR) optical switch using a wedge-like cell. A glycerol droplet is placed in the cell and its surrounding is filled with silicone oil. The droplet has minimal surface area to volume (SA/V) ratio in the relaxing state. By applying a voltage, the generated dielectric force pulls the droplet to move toward the region with thinner cell gap. As a result, the droplet is deformed...

Scattering of coherent light by an evaporating droplet of pure water several micrometres in size was investigated. The droplet was levitated in an electrodynamic trap placed in a small climatic chamber. The evolution of droplet radius and the evolution dynamics was investigated by means of analysing the scattering patterns with the aid of Mie theory. A numerical model of droplet evolution, inco...

Rockwool, as an inert medium covered or bagged with polyethylene film, can be effectively used for plant culture in space station. The most important machine is the pump adjusting the dripping rate in the feeding system. Hydro-aeroponics may be adaptable to a space laboratory. The shortening of the light-dark cycles inhibits plant growth and induces an abnormal morphogenesis. A photoperiod of 1...

This report investigates the impact of droplet temperature on the head-on collision of binary droplets on a superhydrophobic surface. Understanding droplet collision is critical to many fundamental processes and industrial applications. There are many factors, including collision speed, collision angle, and droplet composition, that influence the outcome of the collision between binary droplets...

We report on a light-actuated, droplet based microfluidic platform enabling two-dimensional (2D) droplet manipulation on an open chamber with a single-side, featureless photoconductive surface. The droplet actuation mechanism is based on recently demonstrated floating electrode optoelectronic tweezers (FEOET), which enable light-induced dielectrophoretic forces to manipulate aqueous droplets im...