Tiny drops by triangular taps

2004/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika

If you want to get a few very small drops, do not use the usual fountain, but the one that has a triangular tap. Why? In the circular tap, the surface pressure of the drop is the same everywhere. And, in short, the factor that determines the size of the drop is based on the rounding process, since when the drop needs a lot of energy to stay attached to the tap does not increase anymore.

On the contrary, triangular tap drops are formed according to another model, since not all junction points are equal. To clarify its effect have collaborated a physicist and a mathematician. It is estimated that the triangular tap forms drops smaller than the circle, 20% smaller.

The formation of small drops has many technological applications. For example, it is important to apply this study on inkjet printers or vending machines for small doses of medicine.