On the modelling of bubble plumes in a liquid pool

Turbulent, bubble plumes are investigated numerically using the commercial, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code CFX-F3D. A six-equation, two-fluid model approach is adopted, in which interphase momentum exchange models include buoyancy, drag, added mass, lift and turbulent dispersion effects. Particular attention is paid to turbulence modelling, in which generation and dissipation resulting from interaction between bubbles and liquid are specifically taken into account within the context of an extended k − ϵ turbulence model. Results from a number of calculations are presented and compared against published, experimental bubble plume data. It is suggested that existing bubble/liquid interaction models for plumes may be grouped into three categories: those which produce lateral bubble spreading, those which diffuse the ambient liquid velocity field, and those which couple the plume to the surrounding liquid and thereby ultimately govern the pool mixing behaviour.     

Modelling and Simulation of Food Foams

The rheological behaviour of protein solutions containing bubbles at rest, but particularly during fluid mechanical transport is not sufficiently investigated yet. Protein foams have a great importance in food production because of their special sensory properties. A suspension that contains bubbles in a Newtonian liquid exhibits inherently a complex rheological behaviour, such as elastic effects, a shear- and time-dependent viscosity and normal stress differences. The deformation state of the bubbles in a suspension subjected to a steady shear is a function of the gas volume fraction ϕ and the capillary number N_Ca. In the present article, material equations for protein solutions with gas volume fractions ϕ ≤ 0.75 and small bubble deformations, i. e. N_Ca ≪ 1, are analysed and further developed. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Measurement of surface and interfacial tension from the maximum pressure in sessile and pendant bubbles and drops

The measurement of surface and interfacial tension from the maximum pressure in sessile and pendant bubble and drops is, described. New theoretical data are presented which enable the surface and interfacial tension to be calculated without iteration. Although the maximum pressure in pendant bubbles is less than that in sessile bubbles, they retain their symmetry during detachment from the capillary tip and so havt experimental advantages. Reproducible results in good agreement with literature values are obtained for the surface and interfacial tension of several liquids and immiscible liquid pairs.     

The dynamics of the growth of vapour bubbles in a superheated liquid

The boiling of a superheated liquid is investigated assuming that, in the initial state, the liquid and a vapour bubble (or a system of vapour bubbles) are in mechanical and thermal equilibrium. It is shown that the state of a mixture of a liquid and bubbles is unstable due to the action of capillary forces. Linear and non-linear solutions are constructed describing the emergence of the system from the unstable state and also the unbounded growth of a single bubble and the transition into a stable vapour-liquid state when there are bubbles distributed throughout the volume in the initial state.     

Numerical study of dynamics of single bubbles and bubble swarms

A systematic computational study of the dynamics of gas bubbles rising in a viscous liquid is presented. Two-dimensional simulations are carried out. Both the dynamics of single bubbles and small groups of bubbles (bubble swarms) are considered. This is a continuation of our previous studies on the two-bubble coalescence and vortex shedding [A. Smolianski, H. Haario, P. Luukka, Vortex shedding behind a rising bubble and two-bubble coalescence: a numerical approach, Appl. Math. Model. 29 (2005) 615–632]. The proposed numerical method allows us to simulate a wide range of flow regimes, accurately capturing the shape of the deforming interface of the bubble and the surface tension effect, while maintaining the mass conservation. The computed time-evolution of bubble’s position and rise velocity shows a good agreement with the available experimental data. At the same time, the results on the dynamics of bubble interface area, which are, up to our knowledge, presented for the first time, show how much the overall mass transfer would be affected by the interface deformation in the case of the bubble dissolution. Another set of experiments that are of interest for chemical engineers modelling bubbly flows concerns the bubble swarms and their behavior in different bubble-shape regimes. The ellipsoidal and spherical shape regimes are considered to represent, respectively, the coalescing and non-coalescing bubble swarms. The average rise velocities of the bubble swarms are computed and analyzed for both regimes.     

Prediction of initial motion of a gas bubble in liquids

Numerical predictions are presented for the motion and distortion of a single gas bubble rising through the liquid. The computations were made with an implicit finite-difference procedure which solves the transient equations of motion throughout the bubble and the liquid, such that the free surface between the gas bubble and the liquid is not a boundary of the computational domain.The predictions compare well with the experimental results of others. Computations are presented for bubble sizes from 0.02 to 0.05 m radius and for bubbles of different gas densities rising in liquids of different densities. Surface tension effects are neglected.     

Modelling and Simulation of the Transport of Protein Foams

The behaviour of foams at rest, but particularly during fluid mechanical transport is not sufficiently investigated yet. The present article deals with protein foams as they have a great importance in food production. In the first part, the foaming process of a highly viscous liquid due to gaseous materials dispersed under pressure in the liquid and mass transport of volatile components dissolved in the liquid is considered. The aim is to calculate the foam volume and the concentration of the dissolved, volatile components as a function of the material and process parameters. In the second part, material equations for bubble suspensions with gas volume fractions ϕ ≤ 0.6 and small bubble deformations (i.e. N_Ca ≪ 1) are presented. The basics form two constitutive laws which are used for describing a steady shear flow. If the rates of work of the two models are compared, material equations for the shear viscosity and the normal stress differences can be derived. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pseudo-holomorphic maps and bubble trees

This paper proves a strong convergence theorem for sequences of pseudo-holomorphic maps from a Riemann surface to a symplectic manifoldN with tamed almost complex structure. (These are the objects used by Gromov to define his symplectic invariants.) The paper begins by developing some analytic facts about such maps, including a simple new isoperimetric inequality and a new removable singularity theorem. The main technique is a general procedure for renormalizing sequences of maps to obtain “bubbles on bubbles.” This is a significant step beyond the standard renormalization procedure of Sacks and Uhlenbeck. The renormalized maps give rise to a sequence of maps from a “bubble tree”—a map from a wedge Σ V S² V S² V ... →N. The main result is that the images of these renormalized maps converge in L^1,2 ∪C° to the image of a limiting pseudo-holomorphic map from the bubble tree. This implies several important properties of the bubble tree. In particular, the images of consecutive bubbles in the bubble tree intersect, and if a sequence of maps represents a homology class then the limiting map represents this class.     

Waves in an Inhomogeneous Tube with a Flowing Two-Phase Fluid

Results of theoretical and mathematical justification of the problem on a pulsating flow of a two-phase barotropic bubbly fluid enclosed in an elastic semi-infinite cylindrical tube inhomogeneous along its length are presented. Linear one-dimensional equations are used. It is assumed that the tube is rigidly attached to the surrounding medium and therefore its displacement in the axial direction is absent. At infinity, the tube material is assumed to be homogeneous. To describe the pressure, flow rate, and displacement of the fluid, a pulsating pressure is given at the tube end. The problem stated is reduced to a singular Sturm-Liouville boundary-value problem, which in turn is reduced to a Volterra-type integral equation. This equation is solved by the method of successive approximations. By assuming that the corresponding potential is integrable, it is proved that these approximations converge to the exact solution of the problem. It is shown that this assumption also covers the very important practical case of piecewise inhomogeneity. For numerical realization, we consider a homogeneous tube with flowing water containing a small amount of bubbles. The effect of the volume content of bubbles on wave characteristics is revealed. In particular, it is stated that, for the oscillation regime selected, an increased bubble volume content decreases the wave velocity and considerably increases the flow speed (rate).     

Numerical Modeling of Laser-Induced Cavitation Bubbles with a Finite Volume Method

We report on the numerical modeling of laser-induced cavitation bubbles with the finite volume method using the open source software package OpenFOAM. The numerical model is validated by comparison to experimental data for the two cases of a bubble collapsing under normal ambient conditions in an unbounded liquid as well as close to a solid wall. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Capturing coalescence and break-up processes in vertical gas–liquid flows: Assessment of population balance methods

Gas–liquid flows are commonly encountered in industrial flow systems. Numerical studies have been performed to assess the performances of different population balance approaches – direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOMs), average bubble number density (ABND) model and homogeneous MUlti-SIze-Group (MUSIG) model – in tracking the changes of gas void fraction and bubble size distribution under complex flow conditions and to validate the model predictions against experimental measurements from medium- and large-sized vertical pipes. Subject to different gas injection method and flow conditions, bubble size evolution exhibited a coalescence dominant trend in the medium-sized pipe; while bubble break-up was found to be dominant in large-sized pipe. The two experiments were therefore strategically selected for carrying out a thorough examination of existing population balance models in capturing the complicated behaviour of bubble coalescence and break-up. In general, predictions of all the different population balance approaches were in reasonable agreement with experimental data. More importantly, encouraging results have been obtained in adequately capturing the dynamical changes of bubbles size due to bubble interactions and transition from wall peak to core peak gas void fraction profiles. As a compromise between numerical accuracy and computational time, DQMOM has performed rather well in capturing the essential two-phase flow structures within the medium- and large-sized vertical pipes when compared to those of ABND and homogeneous MUSIG models. From a practical perspective, the ABND model may still be considered as a more viable approach for industrial applications of gas–liquid flow systems.     

Numerical modelling of bubbly flows with and without heat and mass transfer

In this paper, modelling gas–liquid bubbly flows is achieved by the introduction of a population balance equation combined with the three-dimensional two-fluid model. For gas–liquid bubbly flows without heat and mass transfer, an average bubble number density transport equation has been incorporated in the commercial code CFX5.7 to better describe the temporal and spatial evolution of the geometrical structure of the gas bubbles. The coalescence and breakage effects of the gas bubbles are modelled according to the coalescence by the random collisions driven by turbulence and wake entrainment while for bubble breakage by the impact of turbulent eddies. Local radial distributions of the void fraction, interfacial area concentration, bubble Sauter mean diameter, and gas and liquid velocities, are compared against experimental data in a vertical pipe flow. Satisfactory agreements for the local distributions are achieved between the predictions and measurements. For gas–liquid bubbly flows with heat and mass transfer, boiling flows at subcooled conditions are considered. Based on the formulation of the MUSIG (multiple-size-group) boiling model and a model considering the forces acting on departing bubbles at the heated surface implemented in the computer code CFX4.4, comparison of model predictions against local measurements is made for the void fraction, bubble Sauter mean diameter, interfacial area concentration, and gas and liquid velocities covering a range of different mass and heat fluxes and inlet subcooling temperatures. Good agreement is achieved with the local radial void fraction, bubble Sauter mean diameter, interfacial area concentration and liquid velocity profiles against measurements. However, significant weakness of the model is evidenced in the prediction of the vapour velocity. Work is in progress through the consideration of additional momentum equations or developing an algebraic slip model to account for the effects of bubble separation.     

Movement of drops on a solid surface due to a contact angle gradient

Experimental results on the motion of liquid drops on horizontal surfaces resulting from a contact angle gradient are presented. Silicon surfaces were modified using dodecyltrichlorosilane to generate the gradient. Water drops with initial diameters of 0.31 ‐ 0.5 mm (15 ‐ 65 nl) were placed on the surface, their movement videotaped, and subsequently analyzed. To characterize the gradient surface the static contact angle was measured along the surface.     

Bubble dynamics: Long-time behavior and interaction in viscous liquids

A mathematical two-phase model is used to numerically investigate physical and rheological effects on small, individual bubbles in high-viscosity liquids under pressure impact. It is found out that bubbles remain stable over time at high viscosity and surface tension. The steady case is considered and connected to the stability behavior of the bubble. An upper bound for the bubble radius is derived and the new equilibrium state of the bubble can be predicted by means of stability theorems of differential equations. Finally, the interaction of a limited number of well separated bubbles in an Hele-Shaw flow is mathematically analyzed to visualize and physically interpret their trajectories. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Characterisation of bubble clusters in simulations of upward turbulent channel flow

The paper reports on Direct Numerical Simulations of bubble-laden flows performed to investigate the interaction of bubbles with turbulence in an upward flow between two parallel vertical plates. Two simulations are presented with uniform bubble diameter and a third one with bi-disperse bubbles. Three different approaches are used to characterize bubble clustering in the investigated configuration. Horizontal pairing and tendency to form cluster has been found for all reported cases, slightly less pronounced in the bi-disperse swarm. Among other results, a 60°-alignment has been found by means of the angular pair correlation function for the mixed pairs in the bi-disperse swarm. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

空泡溃灭时的流场

本文在Rayleigh方法的基础上,对具有表面张力含汽型空泡的溃灭进行了分析.导出空泡溃灭时空泡半径、泡壁速度及溃灭压力与时间的函数关系,并由此给出速度场及压力场的数值解.     

A variational characterization of a hyperelastic rod with hard self-contact

We consider an elastic rod, modeled as a curve in space with an impenetrable surrounding tube of radius ρ, subject to a general class of boundary conditions. The impossibility of self-intersection is then imposed as a family of scalar constraints on the physical separation of nonlocal pairs of points on the rod. Thus, the usual variational formulation of energy minimization is considered in a context of nonconvex, nonsmooth optimization. We show the existence of minimizers within suitably defined homotopy classes associated with both the centerline and the frame along the rod. The principle results are then concerned with derivation of first-order necessary conditions for optimality and some consequences of these for the contact forces and for regularity.     

Simulation of a reacting gas–liquid bubbly flow with CFD and PBM: Validation with experiments

In this work we use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate a reactive gas–liquid bubbly system in a rectangular bubble column, operating at low superficial velocities (i.e. homogeneous regime). The gas bubbles, injected in the column through a sparger, contain one of the reactants, namely CO₂, that via mass transfer moves to the continuous liquid phase, where it reacts with NaOH. A key role is played by the bubble size distribution (BSD) and the specific surface area that define the overall mass transfer rate in the CFD model. In order to correctly predict the BSD and the polydispersity of the bubbly system the population balance equation is solved by the quadrature method of moments (QMOM), within the OpenFOAM (v. 2.2.x) two-fluid solver compressibleTwoPhaseEulerFoam. To reduce the computational time and increase stability, a second-order operator-splitting technique for the solution of the chemically reactive species is also implemented, allowing to solve the different processes involved with their own time-scale. To our knowledge this is the first time that QMOM is employed for the simulation of a real reactive bubbly system and predictions are validated against experiments.     

The role of added mass in the theory of Hele-Shaw cell bubbles

Viscous bubbles in a Hele-Shaw cell are studied by two-dimensional theory. The motion is caused by buoyancy and/or a pressure gradient driving a uniform basic flow in the surrounding fluid. A formula for the velocity of a steady bubble is derived, involving the ratio between the added mass of the bubble and the displaced fluid mass.     

A MUSCL smoothed particles hydrodynamics for compressible multi‐material flows

By incorporating the Monotone Upwind Scheme of Conservation Law (MUSCL) scheme into the smoothed particles hydrodynamics (SPH) method and making use of an interparticle contact algorithm, we present a MUSCL–SPH scheme of second order for multifluid computations, which extends the Riemann‐solved‐based SPH method. The numerical tests demonstrate high accuracy and resolution of the scheme for both shocks, contact discontinuities, and rarefaction waves in the one‐dimensional shock tube problem. For the two‐dimensional cylindrical Noh and shock‐bubble interaction problems, the MUSCL–SPH scheme can resolve shocks well. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.