Breakup of drops and bubbles translating through cylindrical capillaries

We examine the shape deformation and breakup of air bubbles and viscous drops moving through vertical cylindrical capillaries under the action of pressure and/or buoyancy forces. Experimental observations of fluid particle shape are reported over a wide range of particle sizes and capillary numbers in a variety of two-phase systems. Four different modes of breakup are identified, and the critical conditions for the onset of various modes are examined. It is found that buoyancy forces can have a stabilizing effect on the breakup mechanism observed by Olbricht and Kung [Phys. Fluids 4, 134, (1992)] for low viscosity-ratio drops, wherein a growing indentation at the trailing end of the drop develops into a penetrating jet of outer phase fluid. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-6631(99)02110-8].