The optimal faucet.
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.
Chen
H Henry
HH
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. chen@physics.harvard.edu
Brenner
Michael P
MP