Abstract
Onset of the oscillatory thermocapillary flow in a half-zone liquid bridge is investigated experimentally taking into account effect of ambient fluid motion. A number of studies have been carried out on the critical condition of the flow transition, but few researches considering ambient fluid have been reported. In the present study, the liquid bridge and the ambient gas were confined in a temperature-controled closed vessel. The flows in the bridge and the ambient gas were visualized by suspending tracer particles in both fluids. Simultaneous observation of both fluid motions from the top has been made first in this work. Boundary condition of the ambient fluid was varied by two partition disks placed horisontelly to the liquid bridge. Visualized fluid motions and corresponding critical conditions are discussed.
