Detection of Interfacial Structures in Inclined Liquid-Liquid Flows Using Parallel-Wire Array Probe and Planar...

Area of Science:

• Fluid Dynamics
• Experimental Techniques
• Interfacial Science

Background:

• Two-phase immiscible liquid flows in inclined pipes are common in industrial applications.
• Understanding interfacial characteristics is crucial for flow pattern transition and accurate flow modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel experimental technique for characterizing liquid-liquid interfaces in inclined pipes.
• To investigate the interfacial shape and instability using the developed method.

Main Methods:

• Combined optical (Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence - PLIF) and electrical (Conductance Parallel-Wire Array Probes - CPAPs) methods.
• Matched refractive indices of organic and aqueous phases for clear PLIF visualization.
• Designed and validated CPAPs for reconstructing interfaces at different cross-sections.

Main Results:

• Successfully visualized liquid-liquid interfaces using the combined PLIF system.
• Reconstructed interfacial structures and analyzed their shapes and instabilities using CPAPs.
• Validated CPAP performance against PLIF data.

Conclusions:

• The novel combined optical-electrical technique effectively characterizes liquid-liquid interfaces in inclined pipes.
• The method provides insights into interfacial shape and instability, aiding flow modeling.
• This technique offers a valuable tool for studying two-phase flow phenomena.