We investigate experimentally the density-unstable displacement flow of two miscible fluids along an inclined pipe. This means that the flow is from the top to bottom of the pipe (downwards), with the more dense fluid above the less dense. Whereas past studies have focused on iso-viscous displacements, here we consider viscosity ratios in the range 1/10–10. Our focus is on displacements where the degree of transverse mixing is low-moderate, and thus a two-layer, stratified flow is observed. A wide range of parameters is covered in order to observe the resulting flow regimes and to understand the effect of the viscosity contrast. The inclination of the pipe (β) is varied from near horizontal β = 85° to near vertical β = 10°. At each angle, the flow rate and viscosity ratio are varied at fixed density contrast. Flow regimes are mapped in the (Fr, Re cos β/Fr)-plane, delineated in terms of interfacial instability, front dynamics, and front velocity. Amongst the many observations, we find that viscosifying the less dense fluid tends to significantly destabilize the flow. Different instabilities develop at the interface and in the wall-layers.
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Research Article|
May 18 2018
Two-layer displacement flow of miscible fluids with viscosity ratio: Experiments
Ali Etrati
;
Ali Etrati
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia
, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Kamran Alba;
Kamran Alba
2
Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston
, 4730 Calhoun Road 304, Houston, Texas 77204-4020, USA
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Ian A. Frigaard
Ian A. Frigaard
a)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia
, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
3
Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia
, 1984 Mathematics Road, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: frigaard@math.ubc.ca
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: frigaard@math.ubc.ca
Physics of Fluids 30, 052103 (2018)
Article history
Received:
February 22 2018
Accepted:
April 29 2018
Citation
Ali Etrati, Kamran Alba, Ian A. Frigaard; Two-layer displacement flow of miscible fluids with viscosity ratio: Experiments. Physics of Fluids 1 May 2018; 30 (5): 052103. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5026639
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