Static drop formation in an electrostatic field

Drop formation in uniform and non-uniform electric fields was studied theoretically and experimentally. In the analyses, the electric field and the drop shape were calculated numerically by use of the boundary element method and the finite element method, respectively. It is found that the experimental maximum drop volume in a uniform electric field can be predicted well by analysis and that the experimental drop profile and the drop charge are in agreement with the calculated ones. The theoretical values of the maximum drop volume in a non-uniform electric field are found to agree with the experimental results of previous workers.