Scaling properties of interfacial flows in tubes of rectangular cross-section.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Mathematics
Abstract
This proposal concerns the propagation of air fingers in liquid-filled tubes of rectangular cross-section. This fundamental interfacial flow is encountered in a wide range of applications from thin-film coating to enhanced oil recovery. The aim of the proposed research is to gain an understanding of the dependence of such flows on the aspect-ratio of the tube, alpha (the ratio of the width to the height of the cross-section). Promising experimental results, obtained in Manchester, suggest that certain global features of finger propagation in tubes of different aspect ratios can be obtained by rescaling master curves , obtained for a square tube, by functions of the aspect ratio. This result is of fundamental significance because it suggests a connection between the interfacial dynamics in square or nearly square tubes (alpha =1- 2) and those in Hele-Shaw cells (alpha >> 1). The evolution of the flow between these two limiting geometries will be characterised in detail using the powerful combination of experiments and three-dimensional numerical simulations.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Anne Juel (Principal Investigator) | |
Andrew Hazel (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
DE LÓZAR A
(2008)
The steady propagation of an air finger into a rectangular tube
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
De Lózar A
(2009)
Tube geometry can force switchlike transitions in the behavior of propagating bubbles
in Physics of Fluids
De Lózar A
(2007)
Scaling properties of coating flows in rectangular channels.
in Physical review letters
Description | We characterised the effect of channel width relative to depth on the propagation of air fingers displacing a more viscous liquid. A scaling was obtained experimentally and details three-dimensional numerical simulations revealed the limit of validity of two-dimensional models. |
Exploitation Route | Fundamental science useful in microfluidic design. |
Sectors | Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Other |
URL | http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/~ajuel |
Description | Fundamental knowledge used in microfluidics. |
First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
Sector | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Other |
Description | BP Exploration |
Amount | £74,956 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Pilot study |
Organisation | BP (British Petroleum) |
Department | BP Exploration Company |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2012 |
End | 03/2013 |
Description | EP/H011579/1 |
Amount | £335,214 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/H011579/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2010 |
End | 06/2013 |
Description | Leverhulme Project Grant |
Amount | £156,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2014 |
End | 09/2017 |