Hydrodynamics of Liquid Film in Helical Tubes

Mohammed Salah Hameed, Masab Kadhim Jawad

.

DOI: 10.4236/aces.2012.21009                

Abstract

Hydrodynamic experiments on a liquid film are carried out using water in both straight and helical tubes at angles of inclination ranging between 2.5° and 5° and on three different coil diameters (23.86 cm, 32.74 cm and 41.13 cm) for film Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 2000. The film thickness is measured by two micrometers, arranged to measure vertical and horizontal distances within the cross section of the tube. The results of film thickness are related to the hydraulic radius to characterize the film flow in both types of tube. Momentum transfer rates are shown to be higher in helical tubes than in the straight incline tube. An empirical correlation is presented for film thickness in the helical tube in terms of NT (coil tube)/NT (straight tube) for film Dean number ranging from 1 to 1000.

Keywords

Liquid Film; Flow in Helical Tube; Film Hydrodynamic

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	V. T. Chov, “Open-Channel Hydraulic,” McGraw-Hill, Kogakusha, 1959.
[2]	G. D. Fulford and T. B. Drew, “Advances in Chemical Engineering,” Academic Press, New York, Vol. 5, 1964.
[3]	R. B. Bird, W. E. Steward and E. N. Lightfoot, “Transport Phenomena,” John Wiley, New York, 1960.
[4]	H. Jefferys, “The Flow of Water in an Inclined Channel of Rectangular Section,” Philosophical Magazine, Vol. 49, 1925.
[5]	C. M. Cooper, T. B. Drew and W. H. McAdams, Transactions of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Vol. 30, 1934.
[6]	C. G. Kirkbride, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 26, 1934.
[7]	K. Yamamoto, S. Yanase and T. Yoshida, “Torsion Effect on the Flow in a Helical Pipe,” Fluid Dynamics Research, Vol. 14, 1994, pp. 259-273. doi:10.1016/0169-5983(94)90035-3
[8]	K. Yamamoto, T. Akita, H. Ikeuchi and Y. Kita, “Experimental Study of the Flow in a Helical Circular Tube,” Fluid Dynamics Research, Vol. 16, No. 4, 1995, pp. 237-249. doi:10.1016/0169-5983(95)00022-6
[9]	K. Yamamoto, A. Aribowo, Y. Hayamizu, T. Hirose, K. Kawahara, “Visualization of the Flow in a Helical Pipe,” Fluid Dynamics Research, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2002, pp. 251-267. doi:10.1016/S0169-5983(02)00043-6
[10]	D. R. Webster and J. A. C. Humphrey, “Experimental Observation of Flow Instability in a Helical Coil,” Fluid Engineering, Vol. 115, 1993, pp. 436-443. doi:10.1115/1.2910157
[11]	A. Cioncolini and L. Santini, “An Experimental Investigation Regarding the Laminar to Turbulent Flow Tansition in Helically Coiled Pipes,” Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Vol. 30, No. 7, 2006, pp. 367-380. doi:10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2005.08.005
[12]	T. J. Hüttl and R. Friedrich, “Influence of Curvature and Torsion on Turbulent flow in helically Coiled Pipes,” International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 21, no. 3, 2000, pp. 345-353.
[13]	T. J. Hüttl and R. Friedrich, “Direct Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flows in Curved and helically Coiled Pipes,” Computers & Fluids, Vol. 30, No. 5, 2001, pp. 591-605. doi:10.1016/S0045-7930(01)00008-1
[14]	V. Vashisth, V. Kumar and K. D. P. Nigam, “A Review on That Potential Applications of Curved Geometries in Process Industry,” Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 47, No. 10, 2008, pp. 3291-3337. doi:10.1021/ie701760h
[15]	R. Gupta, R. K. Wanchoo and T. R. M. Jafar Ali, “Laminar Flow in Helical Coils: A Parametric Study,” Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 50, No. 2, 2011, pp. 1150-1157. doi:10.1021/ie101752z
[16]	B. Atkinson and R. L. McKee, Chemical Engineering Science, Vol. 19, 1964.
[17]	W. J. Thomas, M. S. Ray and E. W. Palmer, “Physical Absorption of Carbon Dioxide in Water Flowing in an Inclined Cell,” Chemical Engineering Communications, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1976, pp. 121-134. doi:10.1080/00986447608960454