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Volume 111
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Study on the atomization and fragmentation behavior and mechanism of droplets under non-contact ultrasonic conditions
Junpeng Li a, Jun Xie b *, Hao Wu b, Yuejiao Ma b, Xinggang Liu a *, Hongyu Chai b, Junsong Gao b, Jingjing Liang b, Jinguo Li b *
a School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China
b Shi-changxu Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
10.1016/j.partic.2026.02.005
Volume 111, April 2026, Pages 164-174
Received 19 October 2025, Revised 21 January 2026, Accepted 3 February 2026, Available online 11 February 2026, Version of Record 26 February 2026.
E-mail: junxie@imr.ac.cn; liuxg@smm.neu.edu.cn; jgli@imr.ac.cn
Highlights

• The model provides a qualitative analysis of ultrasonic atomization and fragmentation behavior.

• The entire ultrasonic fragmentation process was simulated using 3D modeling.

• The simulated fragmentation process was validated through in situ observation.


Abstract

Metal powders produced by ultrasonic atomization exhibit excellent sphericity and narrow particle size distributions. However, most existing studies have focused on contact-mode ultrasonic atomization, whereas the multiscale breakup behavior of droplets and the underlying mechanisms under non-contact ultrasonic excitation remain poorly understood. In this work, water is employed as a model fluid to systematically investigate the atomization dynamics of droplets in a non-contact ultrasonic standing wave field by combining in situ high-speed visualization with three-dimensional multiphysics CFD simulations. A VOF-based model coupled with user-defined functions and adaptive mesh refinement is developed to capture the transient evolution of droplets under ultrasonic excitation. The results demonstrate that droplet breakup evolves from an initial bag breakup mode to a transitional mixed regime and finally to catastrophic fragmentation. Quantitative analyses based on the Weber number, interfacial shear stress, and acoustic radiation force reveal that the synergistic effects of non-uniform acoustic pressure gradients and acoustic streaming-induced shear govern the onset of the characteristic “pancake” deformation and the subsequent multistage breakup. The predicted breakup modes, time scales, and droplet size distributions show good agreement with high-speed imaging observations.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Non-contact ultrasonic atomization; Multiphysics CFD simulation; In-situ observation; Capillary waves
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