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. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.