Wave Characteristics of Falling Film on Inclination Plate at Moderate Reynolds Number. (29th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Chuan; Jiang, Sheng-Yao; Duan, Ri-Qiang
• Other Names: Li Xiangdong Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Science and technology of nuclear installations. Volume 2016(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-08-29
• Subjects: Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; Nuclear facilities -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear facilities; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 621.48
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/6586097
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-6075

Abstract

Abstract : Falling water film on an inclined plane is studied by shadowgraphy. The ranges of inclination angle and the film Reynolds number are, respectively, up to 21° and 60. Water is used as working fluid. The scenario of wave regime evolution is identified as three distinctive regimes, namely, initial quiescent smooth film flow, two-dimensional regular solitary wave pattern riding on film flow, and three-dimensional irregular wave pattern. Three characteristic parameters of two-dimensional solitary wave pattern, namely, inception length, primary pulse spacing, and propagation velocity, are examined, which are significant in engineering applications for estimation of heat and mass transfer on film flow. The present experimental data are well in agreement with the Koizumi correlations, the deviation from which is limited to 20% and 15%, respectively, for primary pulse spacing and propagation velocity. Through the scrutiny of the present experimental observation, it is concluded that wave evolution on film flow at the moderate Reynolds number is controlled by gravity and drag and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability that occurred on the steep front of primary pulse triggers the disintegration of continuous two-dimensional regular solitary wave pattern into three-dimensional irregular wave pattern.