Evaporation of Falling and Shear-Driven Thin Films on Smooth and Grooved Surfaces

One of the most important tasks in development of modern gas turbine combustors is the reduction of NO_x emissions. An effective way to reduce the NO_x emission is using the lean premixed prevaporization (LPP) concept. An important phenomenon taking place in LPP chambers is the evaporation of thin fuel films. To increase the fuel evaporation rate, the use of microstructured walls has been suggested. The wall microstructures make use of the capillary forces to evenly distribute the liquid fuel over the wall, so that the appearance of uncontrolled dry patches can be avoided. Moreover, the wall structures promote the thin film evaporation characterized by ultra-high evaporation rates. An experimental setup was built for the investigation of thin liquid films falling down on the outer surface of vertical tubes with either a smooth or structured surface. In the first testing phase water is used, fuel like liquids will be used later on. The thin film can be heated from both sides, by hot oil flowing inside the tube, and by hot compressed air flowing in co-current direction to the thin film. The film is partly evaporated along the flow. Results for the wavy film structure at different Reynolds numbers are reported. For theoretical investigations a model describing the hydrodynamics and heat transfer due to evaporation of the gravity- and shear-driven undisturbed liquid film on structured surfaces was developed. For low Reynolds numbers or low liquid mass fluxes the wall surface is only partly covered with liquid and the heat transfer is shown to be governed by the evaporation of the ultra-thin film in the vicinity of the three-phase contact line. A numerical model for the solution of a two-dimensional free-surface flow of a liquid film over a structured wall was also developed. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) technique. The energy equation is included in the model. The model is verified by comparison with data from the literature showing favorable agreement. In particular, the proposed model predicts the formation of capillary waves observed in the experiments. The model is used to investigate the flow of liquid on a structured wall. This calculation is the first step towards the modeling of a three-dimensional wavy flow of a gravity- and shear-driven film along a wall with longitudinal grooves. It is found that due to the Marangoni effect, a circulating flow arises within the cavity, thereby leading to an enhancement in the evaporation rate.     

Numerical study on the effect of initial flow velocity on liquid film thickness of accelerated slug flow in a micro tube

Numerical simulation of air–water slug flows accelerated from steady states with different initial velocities in a micro tube is conducted. It is shown that the liquid film formed between the gas bubble and the wall in an accelerated flow is significantly thinner than that in a steady flow at the same instantaneous capillary number. Specifically, the liquid film thickness is kept almost unchanged just after the onset of acceleration, and then gradually increases and eventually converges to that of an accelerated flow from zero initial velocity. Due to the flow acceleration, the Stokes layer is generated from the wall, and the instant velocity profile can be given by superposition of the Stokes layer and the initial parabolic velocity profile of a steady flow. It is found that the velocity profile inside a liquid slug away from the bubble can be well predicted by the analytical solution of a single-phase flow with acceleration. The change of the velocity profile in an accelerated flow changes the balance between the inertia, surface tension and viscous forces around the meniscus region, and thus the resultant liquid film thickness. By introducing the displacement thickness, the existing correlation for liquid film thickness in a steady flow (Han and Shikazono, 2009) is extended so that it can be applied to a flow with acceleration from an arbitrary initial velocity. It is demonstrated that the proposed correlation can predict liquid film thickness at Re < 4600 within the range of ±10% accuracy.     

固液润湿性对流体动压润滑薄膜的影响

利用自行开发的微型面接触润滑油膜测量系统,研究了固液润湿性对流体动压润滑油膜厚度的影响.试验中以静止的微型滑块平面和旋转的光学透明圆盘平面形成润滑副.固液的润湿性通过接触角判定,不同材料的微滑块平面和润滑液体形成不同的界面.在保持载荷和面接触楔形角不变的条件下对油膜厚度-速度关系进行了测量.结果表明:对于固液润湿性强的界面,形成的油膜厚度与经典润滑理论有较好的一致性;当固液润湿性明显降低时,测量得到的油膜厚度减小.对于试验中观察到的界面效应,应用界面滑移理论进行了初步分析.     

Measurement of liquid film thickness in micro square channel

In micro channels, slug flow becomes one of the main flow regimes due to strong surface tension. In micro channel slug flow, elongated bubble flows with the thin liquid film confined between the bubble and the channel wall. Liquid film thickness is an important parameter in many applications, e.g., micro heat exchanger, micro reactor, coating process etc. In the present study, liquid film thickness in micro square channels is measured locally and instantaneously with the confocal method. Square channels with hydraulic diameter of D_h = 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 mm are used. In order to investigate the effect of inertial force on the liquid film thickness, three working fluids, ethanol, water and FC-40 are used. At small capillary numbers, liquid film at the channel center becomes very thin and the bubble interface is not axisymmetric. However, as capillary number increases, bubble interface becomes axisymmetric. Transition from non-axisymmetric to axisymmetric flow pattern starts from lower capillary number as Reynolds number increases. An empirical correlation for predicting axisymmetric bubble radius based on capillary number and Weber number is proposed from the present experimental data.     

A multiphase,micro-scale PIV measurement technique for liquid film velocity measurements in annular two-phase flow

Prediction methods for two-phase annular flow require accurate knowledge of the velocity profile within the liquid film flowing at its perimeter as the gradients within this film influence to a large extent the overall transport processes within the entire channel. This film, however, is quite thin and variable and traditional velocimetry methods have met with only very limited success in providing velocity data. The present work describes the application of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to the measurement of velocity fields in the annular liquid flow. Because the liquid is constrained to distances on the order of a millimeter or less, the technique employed here borrows strategies from micro-PIV, but micro-PIV studies do not typically encounter the challenges presented by annular flow, including very large velocity gradients, a free surface that varies in position from moment to moment, the presence of droplet impacts and the passage of waves that can be 10 times the average thickness of the base film. This technique combines the seeding and imaging typical to micro-PIV with a unique lighting and image processing approach to deal with the challenges of a continuously varying liquid film thickness and interface. Mean velocity data are presented for air–water in two-phase co-current upward flow in a rectangular duct, which are the first detailed velocity profiles obtained within the liquid film of upward vertical annular flow to the authors’ knowledge. The velocity data presented here do not distinguish between data from waves and data from the base film. The resulting velocity profiles are compared with the classical Law of the Wall turbulent boundary layer model and found to require a decreased turbulent diffusivity for the model to predict well. These results agree with hypotheses previously presented in the literature.     

Measurement of the liquid film thickness in micro tube slug flow

Slug flow is one of the representative flow regimes of two-phase flow in micro tubes. It is well known that the thin liquid film formed between the tube wall and the vapor bubble plays an important role in micro tube heat transfer. In the present study, experiments are carried out to clarify the effects of parameters that affect the formation of the thin liquid film in micro tube two-phase flow. Laser focus displacement meter is used to measure the thickness of the thin liquid film. Air, ethanol, water and FC-40 are used as working fluids. Circular tubes with five different diameters, D = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.3 mm, are used. It is confirmed that the liquid film thickness is determined only by capillary number and the effect of inertia force is negligible at small capillary numbers. However, the effect of inertia force cannot be neglected as capillary number increases. At relatively high capillary numbers, liquid film thickness takes a minimum value against Reynolds number. The effects of bubble length, liquid slug length and gravity on the liquid film thickness are also investigated. Experimental correlation for the initial liquid film thickness based on capillary number, Reynolds number and Weber number is proposed.     

接触角滞后与流体动压润滑的相关性研究

理论研究表明不同润湿性界面对流体动压润滑油膜厚度有着显著地影响,一般采用接触角(CA)来表征固液界面润湿性. 而由热力学原理推导出的界面势能垒理论模型不仅与接触角相关,也是接触角滞后(CAH)的函数. 本文作者通过对不同基体材料的滑块进行表面张力修饰,获得了不同亲和性的界面. 利用干涉法及荧光法分别测量了不同润湿性界面的流体动压润滑膜厚及油膜受剪切的流动特性,研究了接触角及接触角滞后两个界面参数对流体动压润滑油膜厚度的影响,并对势能垒与接触角滞后的关系进行了讨论. 结果表明:接触角与流体动压润滑油膜厚度的相关性较差,接触角滞后可以更好地表征界面效应对流体动压润滑油膜厚度的影响.      

Stability of flow of a thin layer of viscous magnetic liquid

The laminar flow of a thin layer of heavy viscous magnetic liquid down an inclined wall is examined. The stability and control of the flow of an ordinary liquid are affected only by alteration of the angle of inclination of the solid wall and the velocity of the adjacent gas flow. When magnetic liquids are used [1, 2], an effective method of flow control may be control of the magnetic field. By using magnetic fields of various configurations it is possible to control the flow of a thin film of viscous liquid, modify the stability of laminar film flow, and change the shape of the free surface of the laminarly flowing thin film, a factor which plays a role in mass transfer, whose rate depends on the phase contact surface area. The magnetic field significantly affects the shape of the free surface of a magnetic liquid [3, 4]. In this paper the velocity profile of a layer of viscous magnetic liquid adjoining a gas flow and flowing down an inclined solid wall in a uniform magnetic field is found. It is shown that the flow can be controlled by the magnetic field. The problem of stability of the flow is solved in a linear formulation in which perturbations of the magnetic field are taken into account. The stability condition is found. The flow stability is affected by the nonuniform nature of the field and also by its direction.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 59–65, September–October, 1977.     

高超声速溢流冷却实验研究

高超声速溢流冷却是一种新型的飞行器热防护方法,基本思想为:在高热流区布置溢流孔,控制冷却液以溢流方式流出,之后通过飞行器表面摩阻作用展布为液膜,形成热缓冲层以降低飞行器表面热流. 目前,溢流冷却技术还处于探索阶段,实现工程应用前还需开展大量的实验验证和机理研究工作. 本文首次开展溢流冷却的实验研究工作,采用热流测量、液膜厚度测量及液膜流动特性观测技术,搭建了完善的溢流冷却风洞实验平台,对溢流冷却热防护性能和高超声速条件下液膜流动规律进行了初步研究. 研究表明:(1) 高超声速流场中通过溢流能够在飞行器表面形成液膜并有效隔离外部高温气流,可降低飞行器表面热流率;(2) 楔面上的液膜前缘流动是一个逐渐减速的过程,增加冷却液流量液膜厚度变化不明显,但液膜前缘运动速度增大;(3) 液膜层存在表面波,在时间和空间方向发生演化,导致液膜厚度的微弱扰动;(4) 液膜层存在横向展宽现象,即液膜层宽度大于溢流缝宽度. 原因是液膜层与流场边界层条件不匹配,存在压力梯度,迫使冷却液向低压区流动,从而展宽液膜层,并且流量越高,横向展宽现象越明显.      

Pressure drop of two-phase dry-plug flow in round mini-channels: Effect of moving contact line

In the present experimental study, the pressure drop of the two-phase dry-plug flow (dry wall condition at the gas portions) in round mini-channels was investigated. The air–water mixtures were flowed through the round mini-channels made of polyurethane and Teflon, respectively, with their inner diameters ranging from 1.62 to 2.16 mm. In the dry-plug flow regime, the pressure drop measured became larger either by increasing the liquid superficial velocity or by decreasing the gas superficial velocity due to the increase of the number of the moving contact lines in the test section. In such a case, the role of the moving contact lines turned out to be significant. Therefore, a pressure drop model of dry-plug flow was proposed through modification of the dynamic contact angle analysis taking account of the energy dissipation by the moving contact lines, which represents the experimental data within the mean deviation of 4%.     

Experiments on the flow of a thin liquid film over a horizontal stationary and rotating disk surface

Experiments on characterization of thin liquid films flowing over stationary and rotating disk surfaces are described. The thin liquid film was created by introducing deionized water from a flow collar at the center of an aluminum disk with a known initial film thickness and uniform radial velocity. Radial film thickness distribution was measured using a non-intrusive laser light interface reflection technique that enabled the measurement of the instantaneous film thickness over a finite segment of the disk. Experiments were performed for a range of flow rates between 3.0 lpm and 15.0 lpm, corresponding to Reynolds numbers based on the liquid inlet gap height and velocity between 238 and 1,188. The angular speed of the disk was varied from 0 rpm to 300 rpm. When the disk was stationary, a circular hydraulic jump was present in the liquid film. The liquid-film thickness in the subcritical region (downstream of the hydraulic jump) was an order of magnitude greater than that in the supercritical region (upstream of the hydraulic jump) which was of the order of 0.3 mm. As the Reynolds number increased, the hydraulic jump migrated toward the edge of the disk. In the case of rotation, the liquid-film thickness exhibited a maximum on the disk surface. The liquid-film inertia and friction influenced the inner region where the film thickness progressively increased. The outer region where the film thickness decreased was primarily affected by the centrifugal forces. A flow visualization study of the thin film was also performed to determine the characteristics of the waves on the free surface. At high rotational speeds, spiral waves were observed on the liquid film. It was also determined that the angle of the waves which form on the liquid surface was a function of the ratio of local radial to tangential velocity.     

Droplet impact on wetted structured surfaces

In this study, we numerically investigate the droplet impact onto a thin liquid film deposited on a structured surface with square pillars and cavities. The time evolution of crown geometry is strongly affected by the surface structure. When the thickness of the liquid film is larger than the structure height, the expanding speed of the crown base radius is independent of the structure width. However, if the liquid film thickness is equal to the structure height, the crown base expands slower as...     

切应力协同下受热过冷层流液膜的破断特性

针对界面切应力协同下受热过冷层流液膜流动的破断过程, 建立了不同气液流向下的临界液膜厚度和最小润湿量的理论模型, 分析了不同驱动力作用下, 接触角、流体温度、界面切应力和壁面热流密度对液膜破断特性的影响. 研究表明: 临界液膜厚度和最小润湿量均随壁面热流密度的增加而增大; 重力驱动下的接触角影响在不同热流密度下有所不同, 流体温度在不同驱动力下对最小润湿量的影响截然相反; 同向切应力驱动下临界液膜厚度和最小润湿量随切应力增加而减小; 在重力和切应力协同驱动下, 同向切应力对最小润湿量的影响与重力和切应力所起作用的相对大小有关, 反向切应力使得临界液膜厚度和最小润湿量有所增大.      

Algebraic turbulence modeling in adiabatic and evaporating annular two-phase flow

The study considers algebraic turbulence modeling in adiabatic and evaporating annular two-phase flow, focusing in particular on momentum and heat transfer (so-called ‘convective boiling’) through the annular liquid film. In contrast with single-phase wall-bounded flow theory, shear-driven annular liquid films are assumed here to behave as fluid-bounded flows, mostly interacting with the shearing gas-entrained droplets core flow. Besides providing velocity and temperature profiles through the liquid film, the turbulence model proposed here predicts key parameters such as the average liquid film thickness, the void fraction and the convective boiling heat transfer coefficient with accuracies comparable or better than those of leading design correlations. This turbulence model is part of a unified annular flow modeling suite that includes methods to predict the entrained liquid fraction and the axial frictional pressure gradient. The underlying heat transfer database covers nine fluids (water, two hydrocarbons and six refrigerants) for vertical and horizontal tubes of 1.03-14.4 mm diameter and pressures of 0.1-7.2 MPa. Importantly, this study shows that there appears to be no macro-to-microscale transition when it comes to annular flow. Simply better physical modeling is required to span this range.     

含气泡油滴撞击油膜壁面时气泡的变形与破裂

油--气润滑过程中润滑油液滴受高速气流扰动易形成含气泡油滴,微气泡将对油滴撞击壁面时的运动过程以及壁面油膜 层的形成质量产生重要影响. 基于耦合的水平集--体积分数 方法,对含气泡油滴撞击油膜壁面行为进行数值模拟研究, 考察含气泡油滴撞击油膜壁面时气泡的变形运动过程,探讨气泡破裂的动力学机制,分析气泡大小、碰撞速度和液体黏度等因素对含气 泡油滴撞壁过程中气泡变形特征参数的影响规律. 研究表明:含气泡油滴撞击油膜壁面后气泡会发生变形,并破裂形成膜液滴;气泡随同 液滴运动过程中,气泡内外压力和速度梯度变化是使气泡发生破裂的主要诱因. 气泡大小对气泡破裂方式影响较大,气泡较小时发生单 点破裂,而气泡较大时更容易发生多处破裂. 不同大小气泡受力差异较大,气泡大小与破裂发生时刻没有明显相关性. 碰撞速度和液体 黏度对气泡的变形、破裂和破裂发生时刻都具有一定的影响. 碰撞速度越大,油滴动能越大,更容易产生气泡变形和破裂现象. 液体黏 度增大,在油滴撞壁运动前期促进气泡变形,而在运动后期可以阻延气泡破裂行为发生.      

Lattice Boltzmann study of the interaction between a single solid particle and a thin liquid film

The isothermal single-component multi-phase lattice Boltzmann method(LBM) combined with the particle motion model is used to simulate the detailed process of liquid film rupture induced by a single spherical particle.The entire process of the liquid film rupture can be divided into two stages.In Stage 1,the particle contacts with the liquid film and moves into it due to the interfacial force and finally penetrates the liquid film.Then in Stage 2,the upper and lower liquid surfaces of the thin film are driven by the capillary force and approach to each other along the surface of the particle,resulting in a complete rupture.It is found that a hydrophobic particle with a contact angle of 106.7° shows the shortest rupture duration when the liquid film thickness is less than the particle radius.When the thickness of the liquid film is greater than the immersed depth of the particle at equilibrium,the time of liquid film rupture caused by a hydrophobic particle will be increased.On the other hand,a moderately hydrophilic particle can form a bridge in the middle of the liquid film to enhance the stability of the thin liquid film.     

气体速度对液膜在预膜板表面流动形态影响的LBM模拟

为了探究气流剪切作用对航空燃油在气动雾化喷嘴预膜板上流动形态的影响,首先对基于相场理论的两相流格子Boltzmann模型进行修正,并通过经典算例验证了修正后模型的准确性和可靠性.随后利用该模型模拟了同向气流驱动下液膜在水平预膜板表面上的流动,分析了气流速度对液膜流动形态的影响规律.研究表明,该模型可准确追踪具有大密度比...     

Microscale heat transfer in an evaporating moving extended meniscus

The evaporative heat flux distribution in the leading edge region of a moving evaporating thin liquid film of pentane on quartz was obtained by analyzing the measured thickness profile for thicknesses, δ < 2 μm. The profiles in a constrained vapor bubble were obtained using image analyzing interferometry. Although the evaporating meniscus appeared to be benign (i.e., without additional observed motion beyond creeping), high heat fluxes were obtained. Significantly higher heat fluxes are possible. The interfacial slope, curvature, interfacial shear stress, and liquid pressure profiles were also obtained. Results obtained using a continuum model were consistent with those obtained using a control volume model. The measured pressure field profile of the isothermal extended meniscus agreed with the constant pressure field predicted by the augmented Young–Laplace model. For the non-isothermal case, measured thickness gradients lead to disjoining pressure and curvature gradients for fluid flow and evaporation. The experimental results demonstrate that disjoining pressure at the contact line controls fluid flow within an evaporating completely wetting thin curved film and is, therefore, a useful boundary condition. However, in small interfacial systems, non-idealities can have a dramatic effect.     

The coupling influence of airflow and temperature on the wall-wetted fuel film distribution

The coupling influence of airflow and temperature on the two-dimensional distribution of the film resulted from fuel spray impinging on a horizontal flat wall was studied with experiments. The horizontal airflow direction was perpendicular to the vertical axis of the injection spray. The results show that, as air velocity increases, the film shape turns from a circle to an oblong. As wall temperature increases, the film area shrinks. Film thickness decreases as wall temperature or air velocity increases. The boiling point of the fuel is an important temperature to affect the film area and the film thickness. Film center moves more far away in the downstream direction as air velocity increases. For a certain air velocity, film center moves less far away as wall temperature increases.     

Pure steam condensation model with laminar film in a vertical tube

A new physical model for calculating the liquid film thickness and condensation heat transfer coefficient in a vertical condenser tube is proposed by considering the effects of gravity, liquid viscosity, and vapor flow in the core region of the flow. To estimate the velocity profile in the liquid film, the liquid film was assumed to be in Couette flow forced by the interfacial velocity at the liquid–vapor interface. For simplifying the calculation procedures, the interfacial velocity was estimated by introducing an empirical power-law velocity profile. The resulting film thickness and heat transfer coefficient from the model were compared with the experimental data and the results obtained from the other condensation models. The results demonstrated that the proposed model described the liquid film thinning effect by the vapor shear flow and predicted the condensation heat transfer coefficient from experiments reasonably well.