Thermocapillary rupture in falling liquid films at moderate Reynolds numbers

Abstract

An experimental study of the flow of a water film over a heated surface for Re = 15-50 was performed. The influence of the development of thermocapillary instability on the wave amplitudes, the deformation of the surface of the liquid film, and the formation of the first stable dry spot on the heater are investigated. It is shown that the interaction of waves with thermocapillary structures can lead to an increase in the critical heat flux corresponding to the rupture of the liquid film, as compared with the data known in the literature.