Liquid Film Flow Research Articles

Flow behavior and heat transfer characteristics of liquid film on vertical hot surface by inclined jet impingement

In this study, the flow behavior and heat transfer characteristics of the liquid film on the hot wall by inclined jet impingement are experimentally studied in detail. The effects of jet parameters, such as jet inclination angle, impingement distance, jet Reynolds number (Rej), and nozzle diameter are explored. The liquid film flow is visualized using a high-speed camera, and the surface temperature and heat flux are obtained by solving the inverse heat conduction problem. The results indicate that the liquid film shape is strongly affected by jet inclination angle but is almost unaffected by other parameters. As the inclination angle increases, the liquid film shape changes from elliptical to fusiform. In addition, the onset, enhancement, and disappearance of boiling cause the expansion and contraction of liquid film. The splashing rate is barely affected by jet parameters and remains within the range of 80–95 % under all conditions. The propagation of wetting fronts exhibits anisotropy. Except for the impingement distance, the position of wetting fronts along y-axis direction displays a high dependence on all parameters. The Rej and nozzle diameter have a significant effect on the heat flux at the impingement point and parallel flow zone, while the jet inclination angle and impingement distance only effect the impingement point. The visualization image proves that the droplet impingement pattern is the main reason for the increase in heat flux at higher impingement distances. Optimizing jet parameters can promote the wall to enter the rapid cooling stage in advance and increase maximum heat flux, thereby improving the maximum cooling capacity of the jet. Finally, an empirical equation is proposed to predict the maximum Nusselt number.

Numerical study on flow pattern transition, liquid film and heat transfer for R1233zd/FC72 mixtures across tube bundles

Numerical study on flow pattern transition, liquid film and heat transfer for R1233zd/FC72 mixtures across tube bundles

Characterization of liquid-thickness distribution in micropores on elastic surface under sliding and pressurizing conditions.

To improve the performance of studless tires on ice surfaces, the mechanism of liquid film removal must be elucidated. In this study, an experimental system is developed to simulate the running conditions of a studless tire, and the microscopic liquid film flow generated between the rubber surface and glass is observed to evaluate the liquid thickness distribution. Liquid film removal by micropores on foamed rubber samples is investigated by visualizing the liquid thickness in the micropores. The proposed system enables variations in the pressure and sliding velocity between the rubber and glass. The liquid thickness in the micropores is measured using laser-induced fluorescence, and the effects of pressure and sliding velocity on the thickness are examined. Water penetrates the micropores on the rubber sample surface, and different liquid thicknesses are obtained for each pore. The amount of liquid penetrating the pores is affected to a greater extent by the sliding velocity than by the pressure. Therefore, liquid penetration is more strongly influenced by the hydrodynamic effect of the increasing inertia of the liquid under high sliding velocities than by the elastic deformation of the pore.

Exploration of drag on the thin film of micropolar fluid flow within a permeable medium

Advances in thin film acquired many industrial applications because of their use in several products like electronic devices, magnetic recording media, LED, optical coating, etc. Additionally, thin film has an extensive role in the study of multiferroic materials and superlattices in quantum phenomena. Therefore, it is an urge to predict the importance of drag employing Darcy-Forchheimer on the thin film flow of micropolar liquid through an expanding plate embedding with a permeable medium. Moreover, the current model enriches by incorporating the impact of Soret because of the cross-diffusion process and the radiative heat. By using the appropriate transformed variables, the designed problem is distorted, and further, these sets of equations are handled numerically employing Runge-Kutta shooting technique. The computation is carried out by deploying in-house built-in function bvp4c in MATLAB. The significant operational behavior of the manipulated quantities is accessible graphically and deliberated in the discussion section. The important findings are elaborated as; the angular velocity distribution shows a greater deceleration for the increasing microrotation and the inertial drag effect. Further, the thermo-diffusion due to Soret also attenuates the concentration profile and the solutal thickness became thinner for the higher heavier species.

Numerical simulation on the condensation heat transfer and flow characteristics outside smooth and enhanced tubes

Most of the current studies only conducts two-dimensional simulations of condensation heat transfer and flow outside enhanced tubes, which cannot accurately reflect the flow and heat transfer characteristics of liquid film outside enhanced tubes. In order to provide theoretical support for the design optimization of enhanced tubes, this study adopts the VOF multiphase model and Lee condensation model to simulate the condensation heat transfer(HTC) of refrigerants outside smooth and enhanced tubes. The instantaneous film flow characteristics of the liquid film outside the horizontal smooth and enhanced tubes are analyzed, and the thickness of the liquid film and the relationship with the condensation heat transfer coefficient of the smooth and enhanced tubes under different working conditions are calculated. The refrigerants are compared under the same working conditions, and the results are shown: The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data and the Nusselt analytical solution, and the error is all within 15%; the distribution of liquid film is highly sensitive to the magnitude of local condensation heat transfer coefficients, and the condensation HTC outside the enhanced tube is approximately six times of that of smooth tube. Combining the distribution of the liquid film and the thermophysical properties of the refrigerants, it was determined that R410A has the highest HTC, while R1234yf has the lowest HTC.

Hyperslip velocity of melting ice sliding down inclined parallel ridges

A geometric and physical model for melting ice sliding over inclined superhydrophobic (SH) surfaces with parallel ridges is presented. By analyzing the micro-shear flows of molten liquid films between the ice layer and SH surfaces, the hyperslip velocities of melting ice sliding are investigated. The stick-slip boundary condition of the SH surface is used to establish the dual-series equations analytically, and the numerical solutions are implemented by truncating Fourier series and transforming the dual-series equations into linear algebraic equations to determine the hyperslip velocities of melting ice sliding. The numerical results indicate that the non-dimensional hyperslip velocities increase nonlinearly from near 0 to approximately 1.1 for longitudinal sliding and from near 0 to approximately 0.55 for transverse sliding with an increasing air groove ratio (a). The hyperslip velocities increase with increasing δ at the beginning initially (δ < 1), after which they tend toward asymptotic solutions as δ = 1. The hyperslip velocity ratio (Wh/Uh) shows that longitudinal ridges are at least twice as effective as transverse ridges in enhancing the ice hyperslip velocity, with the velocities accounting for more than 60% of the ice sliding velocities for arbitrary θ at a = 0.95 and δ = 0.1. The relative deviations between the numerical and asymptotic solutions are less than 5% at δ = 1, with the maximum relative deviation occurring at a = 0.65 for arbitrary θ.

Hysteresis Phenomena at Boiling in Liquid Film Flowing down the Tubes with Microarc Oxidation Coating

Hysteresis Phenomena at Boiling in Liquid Film Flowing down the Tubes with Microarc Oxidation Coating

Combustion flow field and thermal protection performance of a liquid oxygen/kerosene engine with pintle injectors

A pintle injector is a convenient method for adjusting propellant combustion and has received extensive attention in recent years. However, few studies have examined the effects of the injection direction and momentum ratio (ratio of liquid oxygen momentum to kerosene momentum) on the flow field, temperature field, and dual-belt liquid film cooling effect in the combustion chamber. This study verified a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) engine combustion model based on a pintle injector through a hot-test experiment. A simulation was conducted using this model. With different injection directions, when the momentum ratio was increased, the trends in the combustion efficiency and chamber pressure growth were entirely opposite. For the axial kerosene and radial liquid oxygen injection direction of liquid film cooling, when the momentum ratio was 0.73–0.9, the proportion of the first ring belt liquid film flow was selected as 5–10 %, and the second ring belt liquid film flow proportion was selected as 5–7%. When the momentum ratio was less than 0.73, the liquid film flow proportions for both the first and second ring belts were selected as 5 %. When the total liquid film flow proportion was 10 %, the chamber pressure decreased by 0.2–0.3 MPa, and the combustion efficiency decreased by 8–10 %. This numerical study provides guidance for studying the combustion characteristics and cooling performance of pintle-type rocket combustion chambers.

Film investigation of swirl-vane separator based on Euler grid approximation and coupled film method of Eulerian wall film and volume of fraction method

The movement of multiple liquid droplets within steam flow constitutes a commonplace and noteworthy phenomenon across a spectrum of disciplines, including environmental science, chemical engineering, and energy studies. To simulate the dynamic behavior of these droplets, the methodology of Euler grid approximation, along with the Eulerian wall film (EWF) coupled with the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method, was successfully employed to simulate the steam-liquid separation and liquid film processes within the swirl-vane separator. The trajectory of droplets within the gas phase field was constructed using the Euler grid approximation methodology, while the flow of liquid film formed by droplet–wall collision was modeled based on the coupled EWF and VOF liquid film model. The investigation of two-phase flow and liquid film flow within the swirl-vane separator under high temperature and pressure conditions was conducted utilizing the proposed model, with subsequent analysis of the pertinent characteristics of droplets and liquid film. Specifically, the thickness and velocity of the liquid film significantly increased with the increase in droplet mass flow rate, with larger droplets more prone to concentrate and form stable flow of thick liquid film. The study results may hold significant implications for the design, operation, and optimization of separators.

Analytical investigation of convective phenomena with nonlinearity characteristics in nanostratified liquid film above an inclined extended sheet

Abstract This work focuses on the time-variant convective thin-film nanoliquid fluid flow and heat transfer over a stretching, inclined surface under the effect of magnetism for different energy technologies for sustainability. It is crucial to understand how solid materials can be treated with thin films while focusing on the actual ability to improve the body surface features for infiltration, shock resistance, rigidness, brightness, dispersal, absorption, or electrical efficiency. All of these improvements are invaluable, especially in the field of nanotechnology. As with any mass and thermal transport phenomena, the study breaks down important factors such as thermophoresis and Brownian movement, in an attempt to improve the energetic balance and lessen fuel consumption. Utilizing the mathematical model of the temporal evolution on the liquid film flow characteristics over an inclined surface, we obtain a system of nonlinear partial differential equations and convert it to a system of coupled ordinary differential equations appropriately. Finally, the results of the model problem computational analysis are produced using the Laplace Adomian decomposition method (LADM) and are shown both quantitatively and visually. During the flow analysis, the impact of specific flow parameters such as the magnetic, Brownian, and thermophoresis parameters are examined and found to be highly significant. Furthermore, it is found that the effects of ( M M ) and (Nt) factors on ( F F ), ( Φ \Phi ), and ( ϕ \phi ) lead to decreased conduction. Conversely, the thermal gradient within the liquid films rises in proportion to the (Nb) factor. This research is distinguished from similar attempts made in the past in terms of thin-film nanoliquid flow from inclined planes and application of LADM approach toward modeling. The findings have provided tangible use in coming up with new methods of cooling electronics gadgets, energy harvesting for solar energy, and eco-friendly industrial processes.

Dynamics and heat-transfer characteristics of the liquid film flow in upward- and vertical-facing spray cooling

In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted on the dynamics and heat-transfer characteristics of liquid film flow for upward- and vertical-facing spray cooling. The heat-transfer performances at different inlet pressures, nozzle-to-surface distances, and heat flux inputs between the two orientations were compared, and the morphologies, wetted areas, and velocities of the isolated liquid films were quantitatively captured. The morphologies of the HFE-7100 liquid films and their distributions on the vertical and upward surfaces exhibited no significant differences. In most cases, the heat-transfer performance of the upward surface was slightly better than that of the vertical surface. Gravity affected the velocity of the isolated liquid films on a smooth vertical surface, whereas its effect was significantly suppressed on an unpolished surface. The Bond number of the isolated liquid film flow on the upward surface was verified to be naturally smaller than that on the vertical surface. Dimensionless groups, including the Bo, We, and Re numbers of the liquid film flow in spray cooling, were obtained to further account for the effect of gravity. The reason why the dimensionless groups presented such small orders was explained. The data map of liquid film flow (dimensionless groups) during spray cooling was further enriched.

Analysis of stability and internal flow mechanisms in spiral annular flow with different swirlers

Spiral annular flow within ducts is widely utilized in modern industry, with the swirler serving as a critical component in generating such flow patterns. The structure of the swirler significantly influences the generation and stability of the spiral annular flow. This study selected four different swirler structures with outstanding performance from previous research and analyzed their characteristics through visual image processing combined with numerical simulations. By analyzing the amplitude information of the wave fluctuations in the annular swirling flow liquid film under different operating conditions using probability density functions, it was found that the swirler A(Flat-vane swirler) and swirler B(Flat-vane swirler with hub) produced smaller fluctuations in the annular swirling flow liquid film, indicating better stability compared to the swirler C(Arc-vane swirler) and swirler D(Spiral-vane swirler), which exhibited poor performance. Combining the numerical simulation results with the analysis of the internal mechanism of the swirlers, it was discovered that within the swirler A and swirler B, the fluid between the swirler vanes experienced a larger pressure gradient, resulting in phenomena such as “jump” and “pull” under this pressure gradient. This, in turn, contributed to the generation of greater tangential velocity and radial pressure gradient after the fluid exited the swirler. Due to the influence of the swirler structure, the swirler A and swirler B did not completely separate the fluid region into four independent spaces. Instead, in the central connection area of the rear section of the swirler, the gas phase components aggregated earlier, greatly promoting the downstream generation of spiral annular flow. This study analyzed the two-phase flow process and mechanism inside the swirler, filling a gap in previous research and providing important references for the optimization and selection of swirlers.

Liquid film flow rate from measurements of disturbance wave characteristics for applications in thin film flow

Liquid film flow rate from measurements of disturbance wave characteristics for applications in thin film flow

Modeling and simulation of air-water upward annular flow characteristics in a vertical tube using CFD

Annular flow refers to a special type of two-phase flow pattern in which liquid flows as a thin film at the periphery of a pipe, tube, or conduit, and gas with relatively high velocity flows at the center of the flow section. This gas also includes dispersed liquid droplets. The liquid film flow rate continuously changes inside the tube due to two processes-entrainment and deposition. To determine the liquid holdup, pressure drop, the onset of dryout, and heat transfer characteristics in annular flow, it is important to have proper knowledge of flow characteristics. Especially a better understanding of entrainment fraction is important for the heat transfer and safe operation of two-phase flow systems operating in an annular two-phase flow regime. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a computational model for the simulation of the annular two-phase flow regime and assess the various existing models for the entrainment rate. In this work, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in ANSYS FLUENT has been applied to determine annular flow characteristics such as liquid film thickness, film velocity, entrainment rate, deposition rate, and entrainment fraction for various gas-liquid flow conditions in a vertical upward tube. The gas core with droplets was simulated using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) which is based on the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. The Eulerian Wall Film (EWF) model was utilized to simulate liquid film on the tube wall. Three different models of Entrainment rate were implemented and assessed through user-defined functions (UDF) in ANSYS. Finally, entrainment for fully developed flow was determined and compared with the experimental data available in the literature. From the simulations, it was obtained that the Bertodano correlation performed best in predicting entrainment fraction and the results were within the ±30 % limit when compared to experimental data.

Effect of Air Parameters on LiCl-H2O Film Flow Behavior in Liquid Desiccant Systems

The wettability and stability of a solution’s film on the filler surface are the key factors determining heat and mass transfer efficiency in liquid desiccant air conditioning systems. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of different air parameters on the flow behavior of a lithium chloride solution’s film. The effects of air velocity, air flow pattern, and pressure on the wettability and critical amount of spray are discussed. The results show that the main mechanism by which the air velocity affects the wettability is that the shear stress generated by the direction of the air velocity disperses the direction of the surface tension and weakens its effect on the liquid film distribution. In addition, in the counter flow pattern, the air flow blocks the liquid film from spreading longitudinally and destroys the stability of the liquid film at the liquid outlet, which increases the critical amount of spray. The pressure distribution is similar under different operating pressures when the flow is stable; thus, pressure has little effect on wettability. The simulation results under 8 atm are compared with the experimental results. It is found that the sudden increase in the amount of moisture removal when the amount of spray changes from 0.05 to 0.1 m3/(m·h) in the experiment is caused by the change in the liquid film flow state. In addition, the results show that within the range of air flow parameters for the liquid desiccant air conditioning system, air flow shear force is not the main factor affecting the stability of the solution’s film, and there is no secondary breakage of the solution’s film during the falling-film flow process.

Falling film hydrodynamics and heat transfer under vapor shearing from various orientations

Vapor shearing is a common issue encountered in the operations of falling film heat exchangers. The vapor stream effect depends on its orientation. This study investigates liquid film hydrodynamics and heat transfer performance under the influence of vapor streams from different orientations. The results indicate that both orientation and velocity of vapor determine the encountering time and position of the films on the tube's two sides. The liquid film thickness uniformity and the liquid column deflection vary significantly depending on the orientation and velocity of the vapor. Zones of accelerated liquid film, climbing liquid film, liquid stagnation, and transition of liquid film flow pattern are observed. The gradient of film thickness along the tube axis and the deflection in time-averaged peripheral film thickness increase as the vapor orientation varies from 0° to 90° and subsequently decrease as the vapor orientation varies from 90° to 180°. Vapor streams have more pronounced effects on time-averaged peripheral film thickness in regions close to the liquid inlet and outlet. Vapor streams result in changes in peripheral heat transfer coefficients toward the downstream side depending on the orientation and velocity of the vapor. The impact of vapor streams on the overall heat transfer coefficient does not directly correlate with the velocity of the vapor when maintaining the same orientation.

Study of turbulent wavy annular flow inside a 3.4 mm diameter vertical channel by using the Volume of Fluid method in OpenFOAM

In annular downward flow, an annular liquid film flows at the perimeter of the channel pushed down by the gravity force and by the shear stress that the vapor core exerts on it. Depending on the working conditions, the vapor-liquid interface can be flat or rippled by waves. The knowledge of the liquid film thickness is very important for the study of annular flow condensation because the thermal resistance of the liquid is often the most important parameter controlling the heat transfer. A new approach for the simulation of annular flow is here proposed using an in-house developed transient solver based on the Volume of Fluid (VOF) adiabatic solver interIsoFoam available in OpenFOAM. With the VOF method, in addition to the standard set of equations (continuity and momentum), a transport equation related to the advection of the volume fraction scalar field has to be solved. The numerical setup consists of 2D axisymmetric domain. An adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) method is added to the solver to better capture the interface position. The k-ω SST model is used for turbulence modelling in both the liquid and vapor phases and a source term (whose magnitude is controlled by a model parameter named B) is included in the ω equation to damp the turbulence at the interface.

Dynamic Simulation of the Stability of Annular Flows in Gas Wells

This paper provides a holistic view of the development and progression of multiphase gas-liquid annular flow in gas wells. With the help of a momentum balance, the stability of a fully developed annular flow is defined. The Euler-Euler model was used to model the multiphase flow system, while the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model was used to depict a time-dependent solution for a vertical fluid flow system, considering acceleration due to gravity and fluid compressibility. The resultant flow regime was tested for stability by gradually reducing the field velocity of flow and observing the effects using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The principal parameters considered are the superficial gas velocity and liquid film flow rate. The properties of the region where the flow becomes unstable are documented and related to the incidence of liquid loading in a typical gas well. The effect are critically observed and compared to flow regimes at lower superficial gas velocity. The resultant flow regime configurations are analyzed and compared to the annular flow system. This study will help researchers understand the behaviour of gas wells that have potential in developing liquid loading problems and the movement of liquid film on the wall of the tubing when in annular flow regime.

Low-order modelling of three-dimensional surface waves in liquid film flow on a rotating disk

Using low-dimensional numerical simulations, we investigate the characteristics of complex and three-dimensional surface waves in a liquid film flowing over a rotating disk, focusing on large flow rates from a nozzle. Existing integral boundary layer (IBL) models, which are based on spatially averaged variables along the direction normal to the disk surface, have primarily focused on the formation of axisymmetric waves under relatively small flow rates. In this study, an extended IBL model that accounts for both laminar and turbulent regimes is developed by considering the non-uniformity of the local flow rate in the spreading film flow and incorporating closure models dependent on the local Reynolds number. Our numerical results successfully capture the generation of concentric waves by an impinging circular liquid jet and their transition into three-dimensional solitary waves. These findings are in good agreement with visualization images and time-series data of free-surface fluctuations from a displacement sensor. The backscattering of small-scale three-dimensional turbulence into large-scale horizontal turbulence inside the film plays a critical role in determining the transition of wave modes and the nonlinear dynamics of the waves in the turbulent regime. Furthermore, the behaviour of three-dimensional waves in the downstream region, including frequent wave coalescence in the transition region and the breakup of small-scale solitons, is distinct from that of gravity-driven falling film flows. The amplitude of the three-dimensional waves is inversely related to the generalized Reynolds number defined for rotating films.

Heat Transfer and Dynamic Characteristics in Double Droplets’ Impact on Radially Flowing Liquid Film

Heat Transfer and Dynamic Characteristics in Double Droplets’ Impact on Radially Flowing Liquid Film