Abstract
The coalescence process between a drop and an interface may not be instantaneous, but result in the creation of a smaller secondary drop. This process may be repeated several times before the coalescence is complete. Experiments have shown that an electric field can suppress thisphenomenon and give coalescence in a single stage. In this paper, the influence of an electric field on the partial coalescence process is studied using numerical simulations. The results show that higher electric Bond numbers reduce the time from pinch-off of a secondary drop to recoalescence, and eventually give single-staged coalescence. A single-stage coalescence event is presented in detail, and the mechanism producing it discussed. The results support arguments from the literature that single-staged coalescence is caused by an increased downward momentum due to electrostatic attraction.
