RAST model: Simulation of tensiotraces to facilitate drophad engineering

Abstract

Tensiography is a technique that determines the physical and chemical properties of a liquid by illuminating a growing pendant drop from within using a source fibre. Light reflected internally at the surface of the drop is recieved by a collector fibre and is converted into an electric signal called a tensiotrace, which is a graph of reflected light as a function of drop volume. The instrument obtaining this signal is called multianalyser. A numerical model that simulates tensiotraces through a raytracing analysis (RAST - Raytracing Analysis for the Simulation of Tensiotraces) of the multianalyser as been developed to define theoretically how the tensiotrace describes the physical and chemical properties of a liquid. The purpose of this study is to investigate the model as an engineering/design assistant leading to discoveries and improvements to the multianalyser.