Numerical study of wavy film flow on vertical plate using different turbulent models

Film flows applied to shell-and-tube heat exchangers in various industrial fields have been studied for a long time. One boundary of the film flow interfaces with a fixed wall, and the other boundary interfaces with a gaseous region. Thus, the flows become so unstable that wavy behaviors are generated on free surfaces as the film Reynolds number increases. First, high-amplitude solitary waves are detected in a low Reynolds number laminar region; then, the waves transit to a low-amplitude, high frequency ripple in a turbulent region. Film thickness is the most significant factor governing heat transfer. Since the wave accompanied in the film flow results in temporal and spatial variations in film thickness, it can be of importance for numerically predicting the film's wavy behavior. In this study, various turbulent models are applied for predicting low-amplitude ripple flows in turbulent regions. The results are compared with existing experimental results, and finally, the applied turbulent models are appraised in from the viewpoint of wavy behaviors.