Flow and evaporation in single micrometer and nanometer scale pipes

Journal Article · Mon Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4890985· OSTI ID:22311155

Velasco, A. E.; Yang, C.; Siwy, Z. S.; Taborek, P. ^[1]; Toimil-Molares, M. E. ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92697 (United States)
2. Department of Materials Science, GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany)

We report measurements of pressure driven flow of fluids entering vacuum through a single pipe of micrometer or nanometer scale diameter. Nanopores were fabricated by etching a single ion track in polymer or mica foils. A calibrated mass spectrometer was used to measure the flow rates of nitrogen and helium through pipes with diameter ranging from 10 μm to 31 nm. The flow of gaseous and liquid nitrogen was studied near 77 K, while the flow of helium was studied from the lambda point (2.18 K) to above the critical point (5.2 K). Flow rates were controlled by changing the pressure drop across the pipe in the range 0–31 atm. When the pressure in the pipe reached the saturated vapor pressure, an abrupt flow transition was observed. A simple viscous flow model is used to determine the position of the liquid/vapor interface in the pipe. The observed mass flow rates are consistent with no slip boundary conditions.

• OSTI ID: 22311155
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
ETCHING
EVAPORATION
FLOW RATE
FOILS
INTERFACES
LAMBDA POINT
MASS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NANOSTRUCTURES
POROUS MATERIALS
PRESSURE DROP
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
VAPOR PRESSURE
VISCOUS FLOW