Removal of biofilms by impinging water droplets

A.W. Cense, M.E.H. Dongen, van, B. Gottenbos, A.M. Nuijs, S. Shulepov

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    The process of impinging water droplets on Streptococcus mutans biofilms was studied experimentally and numerically. Droplets were experimentally produced by natural breakup of a cylindrical liquid jet. Droplet diameter and velocity were varied between 20 and 200¿µm and between 20 and 100 m/s, respectively. The resulting erosion process of the biofilm was determined experimentally with high-speed recording techniques and a quantitative relationship between the removal rate, droplet size, and velocity was determined. The shear stress and the pressure on the surface during droplet impact were determined by numerical simulations, and a qualitative agreement between the experiment and the simulation was obtained. Furthermore, it was shown that the stresses on the surface are strongly reduced when a water film is present.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number124701
    Pages (from-to)124701-1/8
    JournalJournal of Applied Physics
    Issue number12
    Publication statusPublished - 2006


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