Numerical simulations of liquid jetting with solid inclusions

In this work we study the formation of droplets, in the prospect of inkjet printing, via fully resolved jetting simulations. We employ a color-gradient lattice Boltzmann method, which allows efficient large-scale simulations of the jetting process that compares quantitatively well with experimental data. We focus on the influence of small solid impurities on the jetting process. These impurities, often found in real-life applications, lead to non-trivial interactions which can affect the symmetry of the jet, in turn hampering the overall print quality. We investigate the impact of the relevant parameters, such as size, density, and initial position of a particle on the asymmetries which develop during a jetting cycle.