capillary number


capillary number

[′kap·ə·ler·ē ‚nəm·bər] (fluid mechanics) A dimensionless number associated with a liquid that compares the intensity of liquid viscosity and surface tension, equal to μ V /σ, where μ is the viscosity, σ is the surface tension, and V is a fluid velocity such as the deposition velocity on a solid that is drawn out of the liquid.