Experimental and theoretical study of two-phase flow in wide microchannels

Experimental and theoretical studies of the two-phase flow regimes in a wide microchannel with the height of 164 gm were performed. The ranges of parameters of the formation of the main flow regimes are determined: jet, bubble, churn, stratified, and annular. The pressure drop in single-phase and two-phase flows was measured. Using a flat flow model, we performed a theoretical study of the pressure drop and compared it with experimental data. Regular waves were experimentally detected in film flow regimes. The formation of waves on a liquid film was investigated, and characteristic wavelengths were measured. As for the theory, the study of linear stability of the stratified two-phase flow regime in a wide microchannel was performed. The comparison of numerical and experimental results indicated the validity of the proposed approach for modeling waves in film regime in wide microchannels. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.