https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2016-16111-x
Regular Article
Dynamics of a two-phase flow through a minichannel: Transition from churn to slug flow
1
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45C, PL-15-351, Bialystok, Poland
2
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36, PL-20-618, Lublin, Poland
3
Department of Process Control, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, PL-30-059, Krakow, Poland
* e-mail: g.litak@pollub.pl
Received:
28
January
2016
Accepted:
9
March
2016
Published online:
21
April
2016
The churn-to-slug flow bifurcations of two-phase (air-water) flow patterns in a 2mm diameter minichannel were investigated. With increasing a water flow rate, we observed the transition of slugs to bubbles of different sizes. The process was recorded by a digital camera. The sequences of light transmission time series were recorded by a laser-phototransistor sensor, and then analyzed using the recurrence plots and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA). Due to volume dependence of bubbles velocities, we observed the formation of periodic modulations in the laser signal.
© The Author(s), 2016