A review of statistical models for the break-up of an immiscible fluid immersed into a fully developed turbulent flow

We consider the statistical description of the break-up of an immiscible fluid lump immersed into a fully developed turbulent flow. We focus on systems where there is no relative velocity between the continuous and dispersed phases. In this case, particle fragmentation is caused only by turbulent velocity fluctuations. The most relevant models proposed for the particle break-up frequency and for the shape of the daughter particle size distribution are reviewed. Their predictions are compared to recent experimental data, obtained for the break-up of an air cavity immersed into a high Reynolds number, turbulent water jet. Models based on purely kinematic arguments show the best agreement with the experimental data. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.