title: The optimal faucet.
abstract: The production of small fluid droplets relies on an instability of solutions to the Young-Laplace equation. We ask whether smaller droplets can be produced by changing the shape of the nozzle. At a given critical pressure, the circular nozzle actually produces the largest droplet. The droplet volume can be decreased by up to 18% using a triangular nozzle with stretched corners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. chen@physics.harvard.edu
authors.forename: H Henry
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brenner