Effect of Transducer Position on Droplet Coalescence

The increasing demands for fossil fuels and the current geopolitical context have driven petroleum producers to optimize production processes and reduce their carbon footprint. This study investigates the effects of ultrasounds on droplet coalescence. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, simulations were conducted to explore the influence of transducer position on droplet coalescence. The effects of ultrasounds on water droplets coalescing in oil under different flow regimes were examined, considering a 2D computational domain divided into three parts representing the transducer, oil pool, and water droplets. The results demonstrate that switching the transducer from the side to the bottom or top significantly reduces coalescence time, with the top position yielding the shortest time. Droplets exhibit motion and deformation when the transducer is placed on the bottom or top, while no noticeable motion is observed when placed on the side. This motion induces relative deformation of the resulting droplet. Moreover, as the continuous oil phase moves with a certain velocity, whether in laminar or turbulent flow, more significant deformation occurs. Overall, placing the transducer on the top consistently yields the lowest coalescence time.