Liquid Film Thickness in Micro Channel Slug Flow

Slug flow is the representative flow regime of two-phase flow in micro channels. It is well known that the thin liquid film formed around the confined vapor bubble plays an important role in micro channel 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 channel slug 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, 1.3 mm, and square channels with two different sizes, 0.3 × 0.3 and 0.5 × 0.5 mm, are used. It is confirmed that the liquid film thickness is determined only by capillary number at small capillary numbers. However, the effect of inertial force and flow acceleration cannot be neglected as capillary number increases. The effect of cross sectional shape is also investigated. Experimental correlation for the adiabatic liquid film thickness in circular tubes based on capillary number, Reynolds number and Weber number is proposed. When viscous boundary layer is thin, liquid film thickness is limited by the viscous boundary layer thickness. Thus, in order to develop precise flow boiling models in micro tubes, it is important to consider the effects of inertial force and boundary layer thickness on the liquid film thickness.