Revisiting the Saffman-Taylor experiment: imbibition patterns and liquid-entrainment transitions

Abstract

We revisit the Saffman-Taylor experiment focusing on the forced-imbibition regime where the displacing fluid wets the confining walls. We demonstrate a new class of invasion patterns that do not display the canonical fingering shapes. We evidence that these unanticipated patterns stem from the entrainement of thin liquid films from the moving meniscus. We then theoretically explain how the interplay between the fluid flow at the contact line and the interface deformations results in the destabilization of liquid interfaces moving past solid surfaces. In addition, this minimal model conveys a unified framework which consistently accounts for all the liquid-entrainment scenarios that have been hitherto reported.

arXiv comment5 pages, 4 figures and supplementary informations

References in corpus (5)

• Free surface flows with large slopes: beyond lubrication theory
• Bulk elastic fingering instability in Hele-Shaw cells
• Hydrodynamics of air entrainment by moving contact lines
• Viscous fingering at ultralow interfacial tension
• Theory of wetting-induced fluid entrainment by advancing contact lines on dry surfaces

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Forced imbibition in porous media: a fourfold scenario
• Inverse Saffman-Taylor experiments with particles lead to capillarity driven fingering instabilities
• Discrepancy in Oil Displacement Mechanisms at the Equivalent Interfacial Tensions: Differentiating Contributions from Surfactant and Nanoparticles on Interfacial Activities
• Flowing emulsions through disorder: Critical depinning and smectic rivers