Between droplets and fluid thread—the role of gravity in meso-scale flow

Abstract

How gravity affects immiscible liquid co-flow is best illustrated through experiments in inclined conduits. In the macro-domain, gravity leads to flow stratification while in the microscale, the phase distribution is practically insensitive to conduit tilt. The influence of flow orientation in the intermediate scale conventionally known as meso-domain or milli-channel, although noted, has not been discussed earlier. In the present study, flow morphology is experimentally investigated during up, down, and horizontal co-flow of a biphasic liquid mixture in a glass conduit of diameter 2.38 mm. In all orientations, the dispersed phase flows either as droplets/plugs or as a continuous thread. Gravity modulates the process of thread pinch off and regulates the domain of thread/droplet flow. Apart from flow orientation, we also note entry arrangement to influence droplet detachment in horizontal conduit. The experimental observations are explained from a simplified analysis based on momentum and energy considerations; the defining parameters are fluid properties and flow rates, conduit dimension, and flow orientation. The proposed analysis, albeit the approximations, has successfully predicted thread pinch off for the present experiments. Pinch off from the thread tip is noted to be cyclic and comprises several steps, of which inception of necking to its completion is only a part.