StarTube: A tube with reduced contact line for minimized gas bubble resistance

In this work we introduce a novel tubing design for multiphase flow that minimizes gas bubble resistance. The design termed StarTube has a lamella-like wall structure and was developed to prevent clogging by gas bubbles. This is performed by forcing gas bubbles into the center of the tube by capillary forces, allowing liquid to bypass in the outer grooves. It was found that the mobility of gas bubbles in such a tube is increased more than I order of magnitude. The reason is that the contact line perpendicular to the direction of flow is minimized, reducing resistant effects related to the contact line-in particular, contact angle hysteresis.