Development of predictive model for the size of gas and liquid slugs formed in millimeter scaled T- junctions

Abstract

Abstract Gas-liquid slug flow in micro/millimeter-scale channels is attractive in a broad range of applications. The sizes of slugs need to be known precisely, since the mass transfer characteristic depends on the slug length. To estimate the slug length from design and operating conditions, a number of models have been developed so far for T-junctions, but parameters of such models need to be empirically determined through many experimental trials. To reduce the experimental efforts, the physically sound model has been developed but are limited to micrometer-scale T-junctions. In this study, the applicability of the existing physically sound model is experimentally investigated in the case of millimeter-scale T-junctions. The results show that the volume added to the slug during the squeezing period is strongly affected by the condensed phase or liquid volumetric velocity. Taking this result, the combination of physical and empirical models is newly developed in this study. Our developed model will ensure the high accuracy in the design of the millimeter-scale T-junctions with gas-liquid slug flows.