Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

A mobile X-ray microtomography (µCT) system was developed which enables 3D scanning of horizontal and vertical test sections. The µCT system has been applied to measure the local, time-averaged volume fraction distribution of developing annular air-water flow in a horizontal pipe with µm spatial resolution. Based on the volume fraction data the liquid film thickness profile is computed and the accumulation, stripping and renewal of the annular liquid film at a circular orifice is studied. The development length of the annular flow downstream of the orifice is evaluated based on the integral volume fraction and the change of the film thickness profile along the pipe axis. Both parameters give a consistent result, indicating that liquid film renewal can be judged based on integral measurement techniques in this case. The detailed 3D data is intended for validation of computational fluid dynamics codes based on phase-averaged variables such as the Euler-Euler approach.