Experimental study of single Taylor Bubbles in closed vertical and slightly inclined tubes

Abstract

This work presents a study of single Taylor bubbles rising in vertical and slightly inclined tubes. The objective of the study is to develop and optimize the use of the visualization technique using high speed video camera and pulse-echo ultrasonic technique to measure the bubble velocities, the bubble lengths, the bubble profiles and the thickness of the liquid films falling around Taylor bubbles rising in vertical and slightly inclined tubes closed at the ends. The inclination angles studied were 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 and 15 degrees from the vertical position. By measuring the flow parameters, a better understanding of the structure and movement of Taylor bubbles, as well as of the slug flow structure, might be obtained. Water, glycerin and   water-glycerin solutions were used as working fluids to evaluate the influence of the liquid properties, especially viscosity, in the measured parameters. Finally, the measured parameters may be compared with some appropriate correlations available in the literature to estimate them.