To overcome the limitations/disadvantages of many known liquid film thickness sensing devices (viz. conductivity probes, reflectance based fiber-optics probes, capacitance probes, etc.), a new liquid film thickness sensor that utilizes fluorescence phenomena and fiber-optic technology has been developed and reported here. Measurements from this sensor are expected to facilitate better understanding of liquid film dynamics in various adiabatic, evaporating, and condensing film flows. The sensor accurately measures the instantaneous thickness of a dynamically changing liquid film in such a way that the probe does not perturb the flow dynamics in the proximity of the probe’s tip. This is achieved by having the probe’s exposed surface embedded flush with the surface over which the liquid film flows, and by making arrangements for processing the signals associated with the emission and collection of light (in distinctly different wavelength windows) at the probe’s flush surface. Instantaneous film thickness in the range of 0.5–3.0 mm can accurately (with a resolution that is within over 0.5–1.5 mm range and within over 1.5–3.0 mm range) be measured by the sensor described in this paper. Although this paper only demonstrates the sensor’s ability for dynamic film thickness measurements carried out for a doped liquid called FC-72 (perfluorohexane or from 3M Corporation, Minneapolis, MN), the approach and development/calibration procedure described here can be extended, under similar circumstances, to some other liquid films and other thickness ranges as well.
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Fluorescence and Fiber-Optics Based Real-Time Thickness Sensor for Dynamic Liquid Films
T. W. Ng,
T. W. Ng
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931
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A. Narain,
A. Narain
ASME Fellow
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
e-mail: narain@mtu.edu
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931
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M. T. Kivisalu
M. T. Kivisalu
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931
Search for other works by this author on:
T. W. Ng
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931
A. Narain
ASME Fellow
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931e-mail: narain@mtu.edu
M. T. Kivisalu
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics,
Michigan Technological University
, Houghton, MI 49931J. Heat Transfer. Mar 2010, 132(3): 031603 (12 pages)
Published Online: December 30, 2009
Article history
Received:
September 12, 2007
Revised:
August 15, 2009
Online:
December 30, 2009
Published:
December 30, 2009
Citation
Ng, T. W., Narain, A., and Kivisalu, M. T. (December 30, 2009). "Fluorescence and Fiber-Optics Based Real-Time Thickness Sensor for Dynamic Liquid Films." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. March 2010; 132(3): 031603. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4000045
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