The wave characteristics of a nonisothermal film of liquid under conditions of jets forming on its surface

An eight-channel capacitive sensor is used for the first time, which enables one to investigate the dynamics of three-dimensional wave flows and the variation of the transverse profile of a nonisothermal film of liquid during formation of jets. Measurements are performed of the wave characteristics of the flow of a film of water on a vertical plate with a heater $150 \times 150$ mm in size. During the heating of falling liquid, the thermocapillary forces cause the formation of jets and of a thin film between them. The film thickness and wave amplitude in the interjet region decrease with increasing heat flux. Two ranges of the effect of the heat flux on the characteristics of wave flow are identified. Under conditions of low heat fluxes, the film flow hardly differs from isothermal. Under significant heat loads, an intensive formation of jets occurs. Three-dimensional waves propagate over the jet crests, where the film thickness and wave amplitude increase with increasing heat flux. In the interjet region of the film being heated, the average relative amplitude of waves increases with decreasing average thickness, and in the isothermal region this amplitude decreases. Comparison of the obtained results with experimental data for isothermal film reveals that the values of relative amplitude differ significantly in the interjet region at high densities of heat fluxes. Transverse temperature gradients cause a decrease in the liquid film thickness, and longitudinal gradients cause an increase in the relative amplitude of waves compared to isothermal flows. In the end, this leads to the emergence of dry spots and breakdown of film. The relative amplitude of waves on the jet surface decreases with increasing heat flux; this is true of isothermal film flows.