title: Droplet traffic at a simple junction at low capillary numbers.
abstract: We report that, when a train of confined droplets flowing through a channel reaches a junction, the droplets either are alternately distributed between the different outlets or all collect into the shortest one. We argue that this behavior is due to the hydrodynamic feedback of droplets in the different outlets on the selection process occurring at the junction. A "mean field" model, yielding semiquantitative results, offers a first guide to predict droplet traffic in branched networks.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Futur, Rhodia/CNRS, 178 Avenue A. Schweitzer, 33608 Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engl
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colin
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panizza
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ajdari
mesh_terms: D044085:Microfluidics; D036103:Nanotechnology