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Drop deformations and flow fields were determined in this study by solving the Navier-Stokes and Laplace's equations governing the flow field and electric field, correspondingly. The Level Set method was used to study the free interface deformations of a single drop suspended in another viscous fluid and the coalescence between a drop and an interface. The first part of the study focused on the effect of the electric field strength and the two fluids physical properties (conductivity -, permittivity- and viscosity ratio) on the droplet shape. The second part of the study was aimed at the numerical study of the partial coalescence phenomenon and its validation on the ground of experimental data from the literature. The electric field effect on the partial coalescence phenomenon was also examined. In presence of critical electric field strength the coalescence proceeded as a single-stage process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to a detailed presentation of all aspects involved in a demonstration of a novel pulsed electric field (PEF) technique that does not generate neither conduction currents nor Joule effects. Details are given of both the experimental arrangement and the electro-optic Kerr-effect-based diagnostic used in the measurement of the intense PEFs in water. The results show unequivocally that the novel technique is effective in significantly reducing the initial concentration of Escherichia coli bacteria. Finally, a brief comment on the way ahead is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]