67th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (November 23, 2014 — November 25, 2014)

V0056: Steady drop levitation

Authors

• Masafumi Saito, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Yoshiyuki Tagawa, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Henri Lhuissier, Matiére et Systémes Complexes, CNRS and Université Paris Diderot UMR 7057

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/APS.DFD.2014.GFM.V0056

This video shows drops levitating steadily over a moving wall. We show that silicon oil drops beautifully levitate over a no-coated, no-heated glass surface. The lift force, which is vital for the levitation, is generated inside a thin air film existing between the drop and the moving wall. Using interferometry technique, we obtain the three-dimensional shape of the air film. We then calculate the lift by applying the lubrication theory. It is found that the drop’s little deformation (µm size) builds up pressures for levitating a mm-sized drop. Finally we show many drops levitating over a moving wall together.