Shock Wave Impact on Tandem Droplets: Analyzing Cavitation and Pressure Wave Dynamics

This study investigates shock wave interactions with two tandem water droplets and the resultant cavitation phenomena through high-resolution numerical simulations. Building on prior research focused on individual droplets, this work explores the influence of a neighboring droplet on shock propagation and cavitation dynamics. Utilizing a volume of fluid method combined with a cavitation model, the simulations track pressure variations and shock wave behaviors across multiple configurations, varying both shock strength and droplet spacing. By incorporating the effects of liquid compressibility, the study captures detailed pressure fluctuations and wave dynamics critical to accurately predicting cavitation onset. Results demonstrate that when a shock wave initially impacts the first droplet, pressure waves reflect and transmit within and around the droplet, generating expansion waves that initiate cavitation. With tandem droplets, the distance between them affects the intensity of the transmitted shock wave reaching the second droplet, thereby influencing cavitation formation. Shorter distances promote higher shock intensities in the second droplet, while longer distances allow for alignment along the symmetry line, which moderates the shock’s impact. The findings underscore the importance of interdroplet spacing and shock strength in tandem configurations, providing valuable insights for practical applications involving shock interactions with liquid droplets in fields such as fuel injection, spray dynamics, and multiphase flow systems.