Improved fluid mixing is of great practical interest in heat exchangers and chemical processes, and often times the disparity in fluid properties and their velocities limit the efficiency of these processes. We find that low-frequency acoustic actuation coupled to a vapor-flow induces Helmholtz resonance within a refrigerant condenser tube, exciting liquid-vapor shear instabilities therby improving fluid mixing. The images here show the transition in the two-phase flow morphology from a calm, stratified flow of liquid and vapor to one that is finely dispersed mixture of the fluids.
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