Electroviscous potential flow in nonlinear analysis of capillary instability

We study the nonlinear stability of electrohydrodynamic of a cylindrical interface separating two conducting fluids of circular cross section in the absence of gravity using electroviscous potential flow analysis. The analysis leads to an explicit nonlinear dispersion relation in which the effects of surface tension, viscosity and electricity on the normal stress are not neglected, but the effect of shear stresses is neglected. Formulas for the growth rates and neutral stability curve are given in general. In the nonlinear theory, it is shown that the evolution of the amplitude is governed by a Ginzburg-Landau equation. When the viscosities are neglected, the cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation is obtained. Further, it is shown that, near the marginal state, a nonlinear diffusion equation is obtained in the presence of viscosities. The various stability criteria are discussed both analytically and numerically and stability diagrams are obtained. It is also shown that, the viscosity has effect on the nonlinear stability criterion of the system, contrary to previous belief. (c) 2006 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.