Chemical Engineering Communications, Vol.182, 35-48, 2000
Rupture of thin micropolar liquid film on a cylinder
The dynamic rupture process of a thin liquid film on a cylinder has been analyzed by investigating the stability to finite amplitude disturbances. The dynamics of the liquid film is formulated using the balance equations including a body force term due to van der Waals attractions. The governing equation for the film thickness was solved by finite difference method as part of an initial value problem for spatial periodic boundary conditions. A decrease in the cylinder radius will induce a stronger lateral capillary force and thus will accelerate the rupture process. The rupture time increases with the material parameter, Delta.