| Abstract: | The objective of the study is to establish a method for measuring the thickness of thin condensates of liquid mixtures using a laser light absorption method during the process of water–ethanol Marangoni dropwise condensation. First, the extinction property of the test material, with unknown properties related to infrared laser light having a wavelength of 3.39µm, was measured. Next, measurements were made of the variations in condensate film thickness after the sweeping of the heat transfer surface by departing drops in the Marangoni dropwise condensation cycle. The precision of this method was investigated on the basis of the extinction coefficient of the test material and the thickness of the liquid film. Results showed that this method provides good precision and is applicable to the measurement of other similar materials. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 32(8): 700–711, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10124 |
