Computation of a Moving Drop/Bubble on a Solid Surface using a Front-Tracking Method

In this paper we outline a front-tracking method for computing the moving contact line. In particular, we are interested in the motion of two-dimensional drops and bubbles on a partially wetting surface exposed to shear flows. Peskin's Immersed Boundary Method is used to model the liquid-gas interface, similar to the approach used by Unverdi and Traggvason. The movement near the moving contact line is modelled by a slip condition, the value of the dynamic contact angle is determined by a linear model, and the local forces are introduced at the moving contact lines based on a relationship of moving contact angle and contact line speed. Numerical examples show that the method can be applied to the motion of drops and bubbles on a solid surface over a wide range of parameter values.

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Published 1 January 2004