We use Faraday waves to measure interfacial tension σ between two immiscible fluids, with an interest in (ultra)low values of σ. The waves are excited by vertically oscillating the container in which the fluids reside. Using linear stability theory, we map out the accessible range of interfacial tensions. The smallest value (σmin ≈ 5 × 10-4 N/m) is limited by the joint influence of gravity and viscous dissipation. A further limitation is posed by the greatest accelerations that can be realized in a laboratory. We perform experiments on a water-dodecane interface with an increasing concentration of a surfactant in the water layer that decreases the interfacial tension into the ultralow domain [σ = [Formula: see text](10-6 N/m)]. Surprisingly, the smallest measured wavelength is larger by a factor of 2 than that predicted for vanishing σ. We hypothesize the effect of transport of the surfactant in the fluid flow associated with the waves.

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Ultrafast X-ray tomography is a recently developed imaging technique for multiphase flows. As with conventional X-ray tomography it involves reconstruction of images from X-ray projection data. If used for multiphase flow measurements, it moreover needs to be complemented with automated image processing algorithms for the extraction of flow features, such as gas holdup profiles, bubble/particle size distributions or disperse phase velocities. So far, image reconstruction is carried out with the standard filtered back-projection technique, which is fast but may not be optimal in the presence of noisy or corrupted data. As the latter is a frequent issue, search for optimal image reconstruction and data processing algorithms is continuously ongoing. This paper serves as a foundation of the image reconstruction and processing framework for the application to multiphase flow. A description is given of the procedure from reconstruction to thresholding to property extraction of ultrafast X-ray tomographic images. Two reconstruction techniques, FBP and SART are employed on the basis of phantom measurements. Each technique is evaluated separately, for FBP regarding the choice of filter and for SART regarding the termination criteria. Image reconstruction resolution, computational costs and sensitivity to the threshold value are investigated. Based on the analysis, FBP with the Ram-Lak filter is selected for image processing purposes. Furthermore, it is shown that from experiments with moving objects, there is fair agreement between measurements and the phantom dimensions. The described imaging process can be applied to different attenuation materials, simulating gas-solid and gas-liquid properties.

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Opaqueness and visual accessibility in turbulent bubbly flows are the main cause of difficulty for conventional experimental techniques to extract properties from the bulk flow. Ultrafast X-ray tomography presents an unique possibility to visualise dense bubbly flows and to provide the ability to characterise the bubbles. With this technique, temporally resolved measurements can be obtained from a scanning plane. The post-processed images are stacked in time, resulting in a three-dimensional matrix with two spatial and one temporal resolutions. The gas flow structures are given straightforward by the image stack, which provides unique insights of the bubbly flow dynamics. Sizing the bubbles requires the velocity to be known, which can be achieved by means of measurement or assumption. Typically, a second measurement plane is needed for the velocity estimation. However, the employment of dual plane measurement data is limited to dilute bubbly flows. To characterise bubbles in the dense regime, a method is presented using only single plane data for size extraction without the need of velocity data. The procedure comprises determinating the Sauter diameter (d₃₂), which depicts the ratio between volume and surface area of the bubble. Contrary to the use of dual plane measurements, here, the bubble diameter is firstly determined and from the bubble size with the assumption of the bubble's shape, the absolute bubble velocity can be roughly estimated. This method is verified with synthetic data of simple ideal-shaped bubbles. Subsequently, real bubbly flow measurements in bubble columns (with and without internals) are applied for the assessment of the resulting bubble sizes and velocity trend.

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The influence of dense vertical tube bundles in a batch bubble column reactor (BCR) of 100 mm diameter and 1100 mm clear liquid height on liquid dispersion and gas-liquid mass transfer was studied. In particular, the effects of different tube patterns (triangular and square pitch), tube diameters (8 and 13 mm) and bottom end designs (flat and U-tube) having a tube diameter-to-pitch ratio of approx. 1.3 were investigated. Dispersion coefficients were determined based on conductive tracer experiments recorded via wire-mesh sensors (WMS) with up to 90 measurement points distributed in the column's cross-section in between the tubes. The gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient was determined via fast-responding oxygen needle probes. Tube pitch and pattern were identified as the most crucial design parameters for the extent of liquid dispersion. We found that particularly the U-tube bottom end design induces large liquid circulation patterns, which enhance dispersion. The presence of internals decreases the kla value as a consequence of turbulence damping, which is also confirmed by lower kl values (e.g. 0.6 × 10−3 m s−1 for the empty BCR and 0.25 × 10−3 m s−1 for the square pitch with 8 mm tubes at 0.05 m s−1 superficial gas velocity), whereas the pitch is the most decisive design parameter. The U-tube bottom end design was identified as the most beneficial configuration with respect to liquid mixing and gas-liquid mass transfer.@en