Liquid Bells Formed Using Shaped Impactors

When a liquid jet strikes a flat disk, it first spreads outward due to inertia before retracting under surface tension to form a liquid bell. In this talk, we examine how impactor geometry influences bell formation, shape, and stability. Specifically, we perform experiments using non-flat impactors with varying cone angles and edge radii. By sweeping both geometric parameters across a range of flow rates, we identify the conditions under which liquid bells form and disintegrate, and we track their equilibrium shapes. Our key finding is that impactor geometry alters the ejection angle of the liquid sheet, providing a means to control the shape and stability of liquid bells.