Experimental study on the upward annular two-phase flow of nitrogen and ethanol aqueous solutions with different concentrations

Abstract

Vertical upward annular flow experiments of nitrogen gas and ethanol aqueous solutions with volume fractions of 30 %, 60 %, and 95 % under 0.2 MPa were conducted. The characteristics of the liquid film including base, average, and maximum film thickness and height, velocity, and frequency of disturbance waves were obtained and studied based on the constant electric current method in a 5 mm inner diameter polycarbonate tube. The flow behavior was observed using a high-speed camera simultaneously. It is found that a large number of bubbles in the liquid film is critical to these characteristics. A connection between ethanol concentration and bubbles in the liquid film is found and interpreted by considering bubble stability which arises from the dynamic rise in surface tension. Our experimental investigation suggests that the effect of bubbles in the liquid film on the flow characteristics is not negligible in such annular flows under high liquid flow rates and bubble stability should be considered for annular flows employing solutions consisting of two or more components with large differences in surface tension.