Surface Forces on a Deforming Ellipsoid in Shear Flow

Abstract

We present a model for computing the surface force density on a fluid ellipsoid in simple shear flow, which we derive by coupling existing models for the shape of a fluid droplet and the surface force density on a solid ellipsoid. The primary contribution of this coupling is to develop a method to compute the force acting against a plane intersecting the ellipsoid, which we call the fragmentation force. The model can be used to simulate the motion, shape, surface force density, and breakage of fluid droplets and colloidal aggregates in shear flow.