Volume fraction gradient-induced flow patterns in a two-liquid phase mixing layer

This paper presents experimental and numerical results related to the dynamic behavior of a two-liquid phase mixing layer induced by a gradient of phase fraction at the flow inlet. A particle image velocimetry-based technique has been used together with a refractive index matching method in order to measure the volume phase fraction and the continuous phase velocity in the two-dimensional (2D) flow. The analysis of experimental results reveals the strong unsteady feature of the flow and the development of large-scale coherent structures. Experimental data have been compared to numerical simulations obtained using both a two-fluid model and a single-fluid mixture model (where only the density difference is accounted for). The similarities and discrepancies between numerical and experimental results provide an understanding of the relative importance of variable density effects compared to the two-phase interfacial exchanges in the momentum and the turbulent transport. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.