Measurement Of Liquid Film Thickness Research Articles

Development of a sensor for liquid film thickness measurements during annular flow in microchannels

Development of a sensor for liquid film thickness measurements during annular flow in microchannels

Design of a high-performance surface plasmon resonance device for effective measurement of thin liquid film thickness

Design of a high-performance surface plasmon resonance device for effective measurement of thin liquid film thickness

Evolution of liquid film in a crossflow tunnel: liquid film thickness measurement and effect of droplet impingement on film breakup

Abstract Liquid jet in crossflow tunnel has widespread applications in various industrial devices,
with the measurements of liquid film on the bottom surface pivotal in exploring relevant mechanisms
such as heat transfer and film breakup. This work reports the measurements of liquid film on the
bottom surface of a crossflow tunnel using the brightness-based laser induced fluorescence (LIF)
method under different flow conditions at ambient pressure and temperature. Film breakup
phenomena are observed downstream within the tunnel. Employing the shadowgraph method, two
distinct patterns of film breakup associated with the droplet impingement positions on the film wave
are identified, i.e., bag breakup and membrane breakup. The film thickness is subsequently calculated,
and jet impingement and spray impingement of injected liquid on tunnel bottom surface are classified
based on the centerline film thickness. A critical jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratio (q) is determined to be proportional to the square of tunnel height. The averaged film thickness across the entire cross-section downstream at a distance of 50 mm from the nozzle is found to increase with the logarithm of q. Besides, the film boundaries are also identified under different flow conditions, which can be well predicted by a quadratic fit with the fitting parameters also correlated to the logarithm of q.

Accuracy and error analysis of optical liquid film thickness measurement with total internal reflection method (TIRM)

The characterization of thin liquid films is relevant to many engineering applications, ranging from oil and chemical industry to refrigeration systems, to cooling of light water nuclear reactors. The total internal reflection method (TIRM) is an optical method known for decades for being able to non-intrusively measure film thickness of a wide range of fluids flowing over a transparent wall, but systematic studies on the accuracy of the method are still missing. In this work, TIRM is presented and all the main potential error sources related to the application of such measurement are thoroughly characterized. The analysis includes the potential impact of variation of the refractive index on the measured thickness, the extension of the experimental calibration range to a broader set of measurable thicknesses and the effect of the inhomogeneity of the film free surface on the measured thickness. This latter aspect was never investigated in detail before because of the inherent complexity of the involved physical phenomena, but an in-house developed ray-tracing simulation allows new insights into the problem. Overall, the present paper redefines the utilization limitations and the accuracy of TIRM.

Numerical and experimental investigation on droplet entrainment mechanism and closed equations of two-fluid model

As a clean and low-carbon energy source, natural gas is an important force in achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Affected by the strong force of gas and liquid during mining and transportation, it exhibits the phenomenon of droplet entrainment. Entrained droplets change the properties of gas and liquid phases, which is crucial for accurate measurement of liquid film thickness, gas holdup, pressure drop and flow rates in natural gas pipelines. The measurement of entrained droplets has always been a focus and difficulty in the two-phase flow research field. Therefore, numerical simulation combined with experimental measurement are presented to study the droplet entrainment mechanism and closed equations of two-fluid model. The specific parameter settings for simulating horizontal gas–liquid annular flow based on numerical method are discussed, and effective simulation of droplet entrainment and deposition in annular flow is achieved. By comparing liquid film thickness and wave velocity from the simulation results with the experimental results, the correctness of the simulation method is verified. Then, the mechanism and dynamic evolution process of entrained droplets in annular flow are revealed, and the generation and deposition characteristics of entrained droplets are studied. As a result, the closed equations of two-fluid model such as droplet velocity, gas–liquid interface velocity, and gas–liquid interface friction factor are established. The proposed two-fluid model is validated using dual mode ultrasound and differential pressure sensors, demonstrating its good applicability and extrapolation.

Thin liquid film thickness measurement using stepped-index-type optical fiber sensors

Thin liquid film thickness measurement using stepped-index-type optical fiber sensors

Flow and Heat Transfer in Two-Phase Flow Immiscible Droplets in Microchannels

ABSTRACT The enhancement of heat transfer in microchannels without phase change is a significant area of study, primarily driven by the internal fluid recirculation in two-phase flows. This investigation focuses on a circular microchannel, 100 μm in diameter, where mineral oil droplets are introduced into a water flow. The study utilizes the conservative level set method for precise interface tracking and liquid film thickness measurement. This research introduces a modified Nusselt number, specifically tailored to describe the heat transfer characteristics of multiphase flows. The study delves into the effects of varying droplet sizes, from small spheres to a slug. The findings indicate that the most significant heat transfer enhancement occurs with droplets whose volume closely matches that of a sphere fitting within the channel. Moreover, the investigation explores the impact of parameters like inlet velocity, primary-phase slug length, and contact angle. Notably, higher inlet velocities lead to improved heat transfer, resulting in a substantial increase in the Nusselt number compared to single-phase flows. The study underscores the delicate balance between recirculation intensity and droplet heat capacity concerning slug length, as excessive variations can harm thermal performance. It also highlights the pivotal role of surface wettability, showing improved thermal performance on hydrophobic surfaces.

A new paradigm for the role of disturbance waves on film dryout and wall heat transfer in annular two-phase flow

The entire liquid-film dryout process in vertical annular two-phase boiling flow is characterized experimentally, from inception to completion, in a newly defined flow regime between annular two-phase flow and mist flow, called ‘intermittent dryout’. Experiments are conducted using saturated R245fa flowing vertically through a heated transparent channel. Liquid-film thickness measurements are taken during dryout events. The state (wet or dry) of the heated surface is determined using a laser reflectance measurement, and the signal is used to calculate the time-averaged dry fraction, fdry. The local heat transfer coefficient (HTC) is characterized as a function of fdry. For all the investigated mass fluxes, optimum boiling conditions (OBC), corresponding to the heat flux that results in maximum HTC, consistently occur when the time-averaged dry fraction is fdry≈0.05. Subsequently, the critical boiling transition (CBT), corresponding to the heat flux that results in a significantly lower HTC, can occur for dry fractions of fdry>0.1. Further insight into the liquid film behavior within the intermittent dryout regime is obtained by combining analyses of high-speed videos, time-resolved liquid-film thickness signals, and statistics about the duration of and time between dryout events. In general, the dryout mechanism is dominated by disturbance waves.Mechanistic model frameworks are presented for the prediction of two-phase HTC and heat flux associated with dryout. The model inputs are local flow quantities (pressure, mass flux, vapor quality, and liquid-film thickness) and output a prediction for local heat transfer coefficient. The model framework accurately predicts the local two-phase HTC for a range of mass flux and vapor quality in the annular flow regime. The model framework captures the observed initial increase in the local HTC and subsequent decrease that is associated with liquid-film dryout. The mechanistic approach provides predictions for time-averaged HTC and OBC heat flux that both agree well with experimentally measured values.

Experimental and numerical study on the falling film flow process on the outer wall of dome cylinder

The passive containment cooling system (PCCS) is crucial for ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants, and the thickness and temperature of the falling film on its outer wall are important parameters that determine the heat and mass transfer performances. In this paper, a compact liquid film thickness and temperature simultaneous measurement system was developed to provide a measurement method, which is based on the absorption spectroscopy technology, and then the measurement accuracy was verified by using a calibration tool. The results showed that the mean relative error of the liquid film thickness and temperature measurements from the known values were about 3.4% and 0.4%, respectively. On this basis, this system was used to study the falling film process on the outer wall of the dome cylinder analogous to the containment under different working conditions and combined with numerical simulation for comparison. The results showed that the two methods have good consistency. The variation of the liquid film heat transfer coefficient for various operating conditions was further analyzed. It was found that the average thickness of the falling film is positively correlated with the liquid flow rate, but negatively correlated with the temperature and heat transfer coefficient. In summary, this system can accurately study the falling film process on the outer wall of the dome cylinder, which is expected to accurately analyze the heat and mass transfer process in the PCCS and provide data support for its design and optimization.

Newly Developed Method for Liquid Thin Film Thickness Measurement Using Optical Fiber–Based Reflective Probe

A new ray-tracing–based calibration method for an Optical-fiber-based Reflective Probe (ORP) was developed. This technique enables thickness measurement in micrometers in wavy thin liquid film flow, which is simpler and quicker than other liquid film measurements. First, the relationship between the film thickness and ORP signal was calculated through the ray-tracing simulator. The signal trend showed a steep rate of change within a few-hundred-micron thicknesses, thanks to the emission nature of the step index multimode fiber. The ray-tracing–based calibration was established using the calculated relationship. Second, the calibration method was validated under quiescent conditions. The calibrated ORP measured the thickness and then was compared to visualization. Good agreement was confirmed between the two results at a maximum difference of 20% under 1000 μm in thickness. Finally, thickness measurement for the wavy thin film flow was performed. Airflow (jG = 40 to 75 m/s) was introduced into the rectangle test section, and a small amount of tap water (Q = 30 to 90 mL/min) was injected into the channel plate. The difference in the measured thickness between ORP and high-speed visualization was around 20%. The effectiveness of the new calibration method and ORP measurement including its uncertainty will be discussed.

Liquid Film Thickness for Gas-Liquid Annular Flow Across Grid Spacer with Vanes in Simple 3 × 3 Rod Bundle Channel

This study reports the effects of the grid spacer with mixing vane (MV) on gas velocity for air single-phase flow and liquid film thickness for air-water two-phase annular flow in a 3 × 3 rod bundle channel. To investigate the effects of the shape of the spacers, three kinds of spacers were installed into the channel: spacer without MV (without MV), spacer with four MVs (4-MV30), and spacer with two MVs (2-MV30). The 4-MV30 and 2-MV30 had vanes that were inclined 30 deg from the vertical axis. Gas velocity was measured with a hot-wire anemometer and liquid film thickness was measured with the constant electric current method. From the gas velocity measurement, it was found that the irregularities in the velocity distribution became smaller toward downstream of the spacer. For the 2-MV30, the flow distribution was asymmetric and the flow was biased. From the liquid film thickness measurement, it was found that the liquid film thickness became thicker downstream of the spacer.

Simultaneous measurement of velocity profile and liquid film thickness in horizontal gas–liquid slug flow by using ultrasonic Doppler method

Horizontal gas–liquid two-phase flows widely exist in chemical engineering, oil/gas production and other important industrial processes. Slug flow pattern is the main form of horizontal gas–liquid flows and characterized by intermittent motion of film region and slug region. This work aims to develop the ultrasonic Doppler method to realize the simultaneous measurement of the velocity profile and liquid film thickness of slug flow. A single-frequency single-channel transducer is adopted in the design of the field-programmable gate array based ultrasonic Doppler system. A multiple echo repetition technology is used to improve the temporal–spatial resolution for the velocity profile. An experiment of horizontal gas–liquid two-phase flow is implemented in an acrylic pipe with an inner diameter of 20 mm. Considering the aerated characteristics of the liquid slug, slug flow is divided into low-aerated slug flow, high-aerated slug flow and pseudo slug flow. The temporal–spatial velocity distributions of the three kinds of slug flows are reconstructed by using the ultrasonic velocity profile measurement. The evolution characteristics of the average velocity profile in slug flows are investigated. A novel method is proposed to derive the liquid film thickness based on the instantaneous velocity profile. The liquid film thickness can be effectively measured by detecting the position and the size of the bubbles nearly below the elongated gas bubble. Compared with the time of flight method, the film thickness measured by the Doppler system shows a higher accuracy as a bubble layer occurs in the film region. The effect of the gas distribution on the film thickness is uncovered in three kinds of slug flows.

Level Set Simulation on Single Wafer Wet Processing Improvement

To improve the single wafer process for wafer edge yield performance, the liquid film thickness is the key indicator to be investigated. The traditional measurement of liquid film thickness is difficult to execute, due to wafer spinning. The numerical method becomes essential to simulate the process. This paper uses the multiple flow level set method to simulate single wafer spin process. An inlet hydraulic jump is approximated by a two-dimensional axisymmetric approach with a collar inlet. Various spin rotation speeds, variable flow rates, different liquid types and contact angles are simulated. The results indicate liquid film discontinuity at a certain radius and a lower shear rate at the wafer edge. After modifying the process recipe based on the level set simulation result, the wafer edge yield shows improvement. This level set simulation model provides useful information for single wafer wet process control. The level set simulation results can estimate the liquid distribution on the wafer surface before the real process and can avoid experiments on production wafers and hence lead to a lower cost.

Development and application of an optimal three-wavelength combination for liquid film measurement with absorption spectroscopy

In the simultaneous measurement of liquid film temperature and thickness based on multi-wavelength absorption spectroscopy, selecting optimal wavelength combinations can significantly improve the measurement accuracy. In the work, the absorption spectra of e-liquid at different temperatures were measured firstly. And ten sets of two-wavelength and three-wavelength combinations were then established based on five specific wavelengths from the absorption spectra, respectively. And the measurement accuracy of all the combinations were validated with a home-made calibration system. Among them, an optimal three-wavelength combination were selected. Finally, the evaporation processes of e-liquid films at three initial thicknesses (921/780/629 μm) on a horizontal quartz plate were then investigated with the optimal combination. The variation trends of film temperature and thickness measured by the combination were consistent with imaging method and thermocouple. It was found that the optimal three-wavelength combination could achieve high accuracy in simultaneous measurement of liquid film temperature and thickness.

Film thickness, interfacial waviness and heat transfer during downflow condensation of R134a

• Condensation tests are performed with R134a in a 3.38 mm tube. • Simultaneous film thickness and heat transfer measurements are carried out. • The experimental results of R134a are compared to those of R245fa. • The interfacial waves inception is delayed for R134a due to the high vapor density. • Models for condensation heat transfer, film thickness and void fraction are assessed. Coupled measurements of liquid film thickness and heat transfer during condensation inside minichannels are rare in the literature due to the technical difficulties in performing accurate and non-intrusive measures. The availability of such experimental data is fundamental for better understanding the occurring physical mechanisms and for the proper design of heat exchangers. To cover this gap, in the present work liquid film thickness and heat transfer coefficients have been simultaneously measured during vertical downflow condensation inside a 3.38 mm inner diameter channel. Condensation tests have been run with refrigerant R134a at mass flux between 30 and 150 kg m −2 s −1 and 30 °C saturation temperature. The instantaneous liquid film thickness and interfacial waves are detected by combining two complementary optical methods: shadowgraph technique (applied to a sequence of flow pattern images recorded by a high speed camera) and chromatic confocal imaging. In the data analysis, the experimental results of R134a have been discussed in comparison to R245fa condensation data taken during a previous experimental campaign at much lower pressure. On average, R134a displays higher liquid film thickness than R245fa and the appearance of high-amplitude disturbance waves, which promote the thinning of the liquid film and enhance the heat transfer, is detected at higher mass flux for R134a as compared to R245fa. The liquid film thickness is found to decrease with the increasing mass flux for both fluids, except from 30 to 50 kg m −2 s −1 due to the transition between shear stress-driven and gravity-driven downflow condensation. The accuracy of several well-known models for the prediction of heat transfer coefficient, film thickness and void fraction has been assessed with comparison to the experimental data of both R134a and R245fa.

Measurement of thin liquid film thickness in pipes based on optical interferometry

Measurement of thin liquid film thickness in pipes based on optical interferometry

Characteristics of Gas-Liquid Slug Flow in Microchannel by Instantaneous Liquid Film Thickness Measurement

Characteristics of Gas-Liquid Slug Flow in Microchannel by Instantaneous Liquid Film Thickness Measurement

Optimization and application of the concentric conductance probes in liquid film thickness measurement in a helically coiled tube

The liquid film distribution in the helically coiled tube (HCT) is affected by curvature-induced centrifugal force and gravity force, showing more complex characteristics than straight tubes. However, due to the limitation of the measurement technology, the relevant data on liquid film in HCT are still rare. In this paper, based on the time-multiplexed excitation-probing scheme, a type of non-intrusive concentric conductance probes (CCPs) is developed at first. After reporting the operation principle of CCPs, the numerical simulation of potential field distribution in CCPs is conducted, and the effects of electrode structure parameters and liquid film thickness on the performance of CCPs are then analyzed in detail. It is found that in a certain range, the larger the inner electrode and outer electrode diameter, the greater the signal penetration depth (i.e. the larger the measurement range of liquid film thickness). Finally, the spatio-temporal distribution of liquid film on the wall of the HCT is experimentally studied using the optimized CCPs. The results indicate that this probe can realize the high-frequency accurate capture of liquid film flow details such as the occurrence and evolution process of liquid film inversion and the fluctuation characteristics of liquid film in HCT. The wave frequency of the liquid film is demonstrated to be not consistent along the circumferential direction. Using Strouhal number and Lockhart–Martinelli parameter, the wave frequency correlation at the maximum film thickness in the state of film inversion in HCT is obtained.

Gas-liquid phase-detection and liquid film thickness measurement on a sprayed surface with a two-fluid jet using a fiber-optic probe and laser displacement sensor

The two-fluid jet method, which impacted droplets accelerated by a high-speed air stream, is widely used in cleaning the semiconductor manufacturing process. A wafer must always be covered with a liquid film during the cleaning process because local drying may cause some defects. However, the liquid film thickness formed by the high-speed airflow and droplets and whether a liquid film exists on the impingement surface have not been investigated. In this study, we tried to measure the liquid film thickness using an optical fiber probe and a laser displacement meter. We discuss the return light signal from the optical fiber probe installed on the surface irradiating the two-fluid jet.

Simultaneous measurement of liquid-film thickness and solute concentration of aqueous solutions of two urea derivatives using NIR absorption.

We present a method to simultaneously measure the film thickness and individual concentrations of two urea derivates (urea CH4N2O and dimethylurea C3H8N2O) mixed in an aqueous solution at constant temperature using near-infrared (NIR) absorption at multiple specific wavelengths. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of aqueous mixtures of urea and dimethylurea solutions were recorded in the 1250-2500 nm wavelength range in thin-layer quartz cuvettes at room temperature. The spectra reveal suitable detection wavelengths, i.e., 1450, 1933, 2200, and 2270 nm, for which both the absorption coefficient and its variation with the species concentration are large enough to achieve satisfactory detection sensitivity and selectivity. For validation measurements, samples were prepared in thin-layer quartz transmission cells with known path lengths and mixture compositions in the range 100-1000 µm and 0-40 wt.%, respectively. Film thickness and mass fractions of both species were determined from measured absorbance ratios in the determined characteristic wavelength bands.