Stability of plane liquid sheets in compressible gas streams

A linear stability analysis has been tarried out for viscous incompressible liquid sheets in two compressible gas streams of unequal velocities. It is found that there exist two independent unstable modes: parasinuous and par avaricose. although both modes are unstable, the parasinuous mode is predom inant under the conditions typically found for practical applications of li quid atomization and sprays. Gas compressibility increases the wave growth rate and dominant wave number for both of the unstable modes; hence, it can enhance significantly the breakup of liquid sheets and the production of s mall droplets in sprays.